On Thursday night, the Committee stage was completed. In the
course of the last sitting, an important amendment, moved by Sir Lyon Playfair, requiring medical officers of health to be legally qualified medical practitioners, and declaring that in districts of over fifty thousand inhabitants such officers shall, after a certain date, hold a diploma in sanitary science, public health, or State medicine, was accepted. An attempt to give a voice in the nomination of Magistrates to the County Councils, negatived by 217 to 168, was followed by a division on a new clause, moved by Mr. Firth, permitting County Councils to promote and oppose Bills in Parliament, without the consent of owners and occupiers, which nearly resulted in a defeat for the Government, the figures being 107 for the new clause, and only 115 against it. With the rejection of another new clause, drawn so as to greatly increase the powers to be conferred on the County Councils, the discussion practically came to an end, and the Bill passed through Com- mittee, the Report being fixed for Thursday next. The House is to be congratulated on its successful handling of the details of the greatest measure of internal recon- struction presented to it since the Municipal Reform Act of 1833. Though there has been no enthusiasm, the Government and the more conscientious portion of the House have honestly tried to make their reforms sound and workable.
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