VACCINATION, SCOTLAND.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 108.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to extend and make compulsory the Practice of Vaccination in Scotland.

Within two months from the passing of this Act (§ 1) the Parochial Board of every parish or combination of parishes in Scotland shall appoint a registered medical practitioner or practitioners to be the Vaccinator or Vaccinators within such parish or combination. The remuneration to each such Vaccinator (§ 2), shall depend on and be regulated by the number of persons not previously vaccinated who have been successfully vaccinated by such Vaccinator; and the allowance for every person so vaccinated shall not be less than 1s. 6d. when the vaccination is performed within two miles of the residence of the Vaccinator by the nearest public road, and 2s. 6d. when beyond that distance. The Registrar-General (§ 13) on application is to be furnished with books, certificates, and stationery of proper forms; and is (§ 14) to frame regulations for the Registrars. The Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in every district shall enter in the duplicate register of births in the column in which the name of each child is written the word "vaccinated," or "insusceptible," as the case may be (§ 15), and is to initial each entry, adding thereto the date of the certificate of vaccination or insusceptibilty; and is also to keep a book in which shall be entered the name of each child whose vaccination has been duly certified as necessarily postponed, and the period for which it has been postponed, referring to the entry in the register of the birth of such child; such books to be open for search at all reasonable times, and the registrar shall be obliged to give a copy of each entry therein on payment of one shilling for each search and sixpence for each certificate. A fee of threepence (§ 16) is to be paid to the Registrar for each person vaccinated, payable from the assessment authorised by the Acts in force for the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in Scotland. A penalty (§ 17) not exceeding 20s. is imposed on any parent or guardian of a child who shall not transmit the certificate of vaccination to the Registrar in the manner prescribed, but a notice must first be sent by the Registrar, for which he may charge one shilling; and in case of non-payment of the fee and penalty the offender may be imprisoned for any period not exceeding ten days. In Insular, Highland, and other Districts, or portions of such districts, (§ 12) where, from the difficulty of travelling and other causes, it may be considered inexpedient to enforce the provisions of this Act, as expressed in §§ 8, 9, 10, and 11, it shall be competent to the Board of Supervision, upon application by the Parochial Board, from time to time to frame such modifications thereof as they may consider proper, and the same, when approved of by the Lord Advocate for the time being, shall be held to supersede the provisions in these clauses so far as regards such districts; and the Board of Supervision may, if applied to by the Parochial Board, in such cases appoint a medical practitioner or practitioners to travel throughout such districts for the purpose of vaccinating under the provisions of this Act, and may fix such reasonable remuneration to be paid to the medical practitioners so appointed as they think proper, and may allocate among the parishes or combinations within such district such proportion of the expenses so fixed as the Board may think proper, and the expenses so allocated shall be

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defrayed by such parish or combination in the same way as the expenses incurred by Parochial Boards in the execution of this Act are herein directed to be paid: provided, that in no case shall the remuneration to such medical practitioner exceed a sum equal to 3s. 6d. for each child vaccinated by him over and above an allowance for travelling expenses. The Registration Districts (§ 3) are to be those already formed for the registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. Parochial Boards (§ 4) are to give notice of the appointment and the names of each Vaccinator within forty-eight hours to the Board of Supervision, the Registrar-General, and the Registrars of the District; and the Parochial Boards, the Vaccinators, and other officers employed in the relief of the poor, (§ 5) are to conform to the regulations made by the Board of Supervision. The Parochial Boards (§ 6) are to defray the expenses incurred out of the rates or moneys coming to them for the relief of the poor, including the portion of any grant voted by parliament towards the medical treatment of the poor, and are to include in any assessment levied for the relief of the poor such sum as may be considered necessary for carrying the Act into effect. Vaccination, (§ 7) and any medical or surgical treatment incidental to it, is not to be considered parochial relief, and is not to affect the parochial settlement of any person so vaccinated. After January 1, 1864 (§ 8), parents or guardians, or one of them, or any person having the care or nurture of a child, shall within six months of the birth, cause such child to be vaccinated by a medical practitioner, who shall give a certificate if performed successfully to the person producing the child; the certificate to be lodged with the Registrar within three days of the date thereof; but if the child be not in a fit state for vaccination (§ 9) the medical officer is to deliver a certificate to that effect, which will be in force for two months, within which time the child must be reproduced. If the child be insusceptible of the vaccine disease (§ 10), he is to give a certificate to that effect, which certificate will exempt from penalties. The Registrar of Births (§ 11) is to deliver to every person registering a birth, a printed notice of the time and other particulars prescribed by this Act for the vaccination of the child. The Registrars (§ 18) are to transmit to the Inspector of the Poor, once in every six months, a list of the names and addresses of such persons as have failed to transmit or lodge a certificate of vaccination in terms of this Act, such lists are to be laid before the Parochial Board, who are thereupon to issue an order to the Vaccinator to vaccinate the persons so named; notice in writing is to be given to such persons, or if children to their parents or guardians; and the Vaccinator, in not less than ten nor more than twenty days, shall vaccinate them; and the refusal to be, or not allowing children to be so vaccinated, subjects the offender to a penalty of not more than 20s., and, failing payment, to imprisonment for not more than ten days. In the General Abstract of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (§ 19), which is to be sent annually to the Secretary of State, a return is to be made of the number of children vaccinated successfully, postponed, or insusceptible. The Registrars (§ 20) are to be subject to the control of the Registrar-General. The Vaccinators

(§ 21) are to keep a book, in which they are to enter the number of persons successfully vaccinated, of those postponed, and insusceptible and shall yearly make a return of the same, in such form as the Board, of Supervision may require; such book to be at all times open for inspection, free of charge, by the Registrar-General, Inspectors, or Registrars, and officers of the Parochial Board. No certificate (§ 22) is to be received as evidence unless recorded by the Registrar. The Vac

cinator (§ 23) is to transmit to the Registrar the particulars of each certificate granted by him, and the neglect so to do subjects him to a penalty of 20s. Any person (§ 24) who shall produce or attempt to produce in any person, by inoculation with variolous matter, or by wilful exposure to variolous matter, or to any matter, article, or thing impregnated with variolous matter, or wilfully by any other means whatever produce the disease of small-pox in Scotland, shall forfeit a sum of 51.' All penalties (§ 25) are recoverable by summary process; proceedings (§ 26) may be taken at any time when the parties are in default, and the penalties recovered are to go to the funds for the support of the poor. If the Parochial Board fail to perform the duties imposed on them, the Board of Supervision may compel their performance, their acts to be as valid as those of the Parochial Board, and with the same powers. Where there is no Parochial Board (§ 28), the Heritors of the parish or place are to act. All disputes (§ 29) are to be determined by the Sheriff of the county.

REMOVAL OF PRISONERS, SCOTLAND.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 109.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act for remedying certain Defects in the Law relating to the Removal of Prisoners in Scotland.

This short Act is merely to provide for the punishment of prisoners guilty of misconduct while being removed from one prison to another; and that sentences for penal servitude are to be carried into effect, by the removal of the offender from the bar to the chief local prison, unless the sentence otherwise provide.

TELEGRAPHS.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 112.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to regulate the Exercise of Powers under Special Acts for the Construction and Maintenance of Telegraphs.

This Act of 53 clauses provides that before a Company proceeds to place a telegraph over, along, or across a street, not being a street in the metropolis or in a city, or a public road, or to place posts, they are to publish a notice that they have got the consent of the body having the control of the street, and leave notice at the dwellinghouses, and are not to place the telegraph until after 21 days' notice, during which time objections can be made to the Board of Trade; posts previously placed, which are considered dangerous are to be removed after notice is given, but if the Company object the Board of Trade is to decide. Streets and public roads are to be opened only after notice, and under superintendence of the authority having control over the street; the work is to be completed with all speed, the broken road is to be fenced, watched, and lighted at night, and to be kept in repair for six months, under penalties not exceeding 201., and 51. for each day in which the offence is continued; and regulations are made so that traffic may be as little impeded as possible. Consent of owners of houses to be obtained, and compensation made where any property is prejudicially affected; and the Company may be required to raise the height of the telegraph if the owner of a house over which it passes give notice of his intention to raise the height of his house, and it must be six feet above the house unless the owner consents to a less height.

Every telegraph is to be open to all persons alike without favour or preference, and the Companies to be answerable for all accidents, damages, and injuries by reason or in consequence of any of the Company's works. If any person in the employ of a Company wilfully or negligently omits or delays to transmit or deliver any message, or by any wilful or negligent act or omission prevents or delays the transmission or delivery of any message, or improperly divulges to any person the purport of any message, he is for every such offence liable to a penalty not exceeding 201. All messages on her Majesty's service are to have priority, and on the request of the Board of Trade the Company are to maintain a telegraph for the exclusive use of her Majesty. The Act further provides that in case of an emergency telegraphs may be taken possession of for her Majesty's service by a warrant from the Secretary of State. The warrant is only to be in force one week, but successive warrants may be issued. The Treasury in such case is to pay the Company for the loss sustained. A Company may be proceeded against by the law officers of the Crown on a certificate from the Board of Trade that any provision of the Act has not been complied with, or that compliance would be for the public advantage.

POISONED GRAIN.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 113.—July 28, 1863.]

An Act to prohibit the Sale of poisoned Grain or Seed.

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Every person offering or exposing for sale or selling any grain, seed, or meal, which has been steeped in poison, or with which any poison or other ingredient has been mixed, so as to render it calculated to destroy life; or who shall knowingly and wilfully “ sow, cast, lay, put, place, or cause to be so done, any such grain, seed, or meal," is subject to a penalty not exceeding 107., to be recovered by summary process, and half the penalty to be paid to the informer, if not a police constable or peace officer; and any one giving evidence is discharged from the offence in case he has been a participator, provided he give the evidence before an information has been laid against himself. But "nothing in this Act shall prohibit the offering or exposing for sale or selling or the use of any solution or infusion, or any material or ingredient for dressing, protecting, or preparing any grain or seed for bonâ fide use in agriculture only, or the sowing of such last-mentioned grain or seed so prepared."

FISHERIES, IRELAND.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 114.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to amend the Laws relating to Fisheries in Ireland. Nearly to the same effect as the Salmon Fisheries Acts of England and Scotland, by extending the provisions of former Fisheries Acts in Ireland. In the weekly close time fishing for salmon or trout is allowed with rod and line; and instead of an annual close time of 124 days, the close time is extended to 168 days, the additional days to be added to the end of the present established time, until the Commissioners, in pursuance of the powers given them by the Salmon Fisheries Acts, shall make an alteration.

NUISANCES REMOVAL.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 117.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to amend the Nuisances Removal Act for England, 1855, with respect to the Seizure of diseased and unwholesome Meat.

By this Act power is given to the Medical Officer of Health or Inspector of Nuisances, to examine any animal, carcase, meat, poultry, game, flesh, fish, fruit, vegetables, corn, bread, or flour, exposed for sale and intended for the food of man, the proof that the same was not so intended resting with the party charged; and if any such appear to be diseased, unsound, or unwholesome, may seize the same, and cause it to be carried away, in order to have the same dealt with by a justice; and if it be so proved before the justice, the person to whom it belongs or did belong at the time of sale or exposure for sale, or in whose possession or on whose premises it was found, shall upon conviction be liable to a penalty not exceeding 201. for every article so found, or, at the discretion of the justice, to imprisonment for a term of not more than three calendar months. Obstructing the Medical Officer or the Inspector of Nuisances, or their servants or assistants, in any examination they may be making, subjects the offender to a penalty not exceeding 51.

EXHIBITION MEDALS.

[26 and 27 Victoria, cap. 119.-July 28, 1863.]

An Act to prevent false Representations as to Grants of Medals or Certificates made by the Commissioners for the Exhibitions of 1851 and 1862.

Any trader falsely representing that he has obtained a medal or certificate from the Exhibition Commissioners in respect of any article or process for which a medal or certificate has been awarded; or representing, knowing such representation to be false, that any other trader has obtained such a medal or certificate; or representing, knowing such representation to be false, that any article sold or exposed for sale has been made by, or by any process invented by, a person who has obtained in respect of such article or process a medal or certificate from the Exhibition Commissioners; shall, for the first offence, incur a penalty not exceeding 51.; for any subsequent offence a sum not exceeding 201., or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months. Penalties to be recovered by summary process according to the usual mode in England, Scotland, and Ireland. No conviction to affect any right or civil remedy to which any person may be entitled by law, or exempt a person from answering or making discovery on examination as a witness, but no evidence so given to be admissible against the witness in any indictment for a misdemeanour or of any proceedings under this Act.

AUGMENTATION OF BENEFICES.

[26 and 27 Victoriæ, cap. 120.-July 28, 1863.]

n Act for the Augmentation of certain Benefices the Right of Presentation to which is vested in the Lord Chancellor.

The object of this Act is stated in the preamble to be the augmentation of poor benefices, to effect which power has been given to the Lord Chancellor to sell the advowsons of 327 of the poorer livings now