Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2197

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LEGAL MEMORANDA
1987

ordering or permitting any servant to stand on the sill of any window, except in the basement, in order to do anything to the outside of the window or house.

Within the Metropolitan Police district the following acts also are punishable as offences:—Posting any bill or paper on any property without the consent of the owner; writing upon or defacing any building or fence; using any noisy instrument for the purpose of calling people together or of announcing any show or entertainment, or for the purpose of hawking, selling, distributing or collecting any article, or of obtaining money or alms; persisting in playing music in the street.

Any householder may, either personally or by his servant, or by a police-constable, require a street musician or singer to depart from the neighbourhood of his house, on account of the illness or the interruption of the ordinary occupations or pursuits of any inmate of the house, or for other reasonable or sufficient cause. On failure to comply with such requirement the offender may be arrested by a constable without warrant, but he must be given into custody by the person making the charge, who must also accompany the constable to the police-station and sign the charge-sheet. The householder when requiring the street musician to depart is bound to give him his reason for so doing.

Within the area under the jurisdiction of the London County Council the following provisions are in force:—

The keeping of pigs in any place unfit for the purpose, or in which it may create a nuisance or be injurious to health, is prohibited under a penalty of £2, forfeiture of the animals, and a further penalty of 10s. for each day during which the offence continues after notice to discontinue it. And the use of such premises in the future may be prohibited. Any premises within 40 yards will be deemed to be unfit for the above purpose. Every sanitary authority within the area in question may make bye-laws to prevent the keeping of any animal in such place or manner as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health.

7. Under a Bye-law.—In every county or borough the County Council or Corporation, as the case may be, may make such bye-laws as they think fit for the good rule and government of the area under their jurisdiction, and for the prevention and suppression of nuisances not already punishable in a summary manner by virtue of any Act.

In exercise of this power, the London County Council have made the following bye-laws, and in many any other counties similar bye-laws exist:—

Noisy animals.—"No person shall keep within any house, building or premises any noisy animal which shall be, or cause, a serious nuisance to residents in the neighbourhood, provided that no proceedings shall be taken against any person for an offence against this bye-law until after the expiration of a fortnight from the date of the service on such person of a notice alleging a nuisance, signed by not less than three householders residing within hearing of the animal." Penalty not exceeding £2.

Street shouting.—"No person shall for the purpose of hawking, selling or advertising any newspaper call or shout in any street so as to cause an annoyance to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood." Penalty not exceeding £2. It is not necessary to prove that more than one inhabitant has been annoyed, if the act complained of was of a character likely to annoy the inhabitants generally.

Broken glass.—"No person shall throw, place or leave any bottle or any broken glass, nail or other sharp substance (not being road material), on or in any street or public place in such a position as to be likely to cause injury to passengers or animals, or damage to property." Penalty not exceeding £2.

Window cleaning.—" Every person who in any street, to the obstruction, annoyance or danger of residents or passengers, orders or permits any person service to stand or kneel on the sill of any window for the purpose of cleaning or painting such window, or for any other purpose whatsoever, such