Municipality and the Plumber

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1112, 6 October 1904, Page 2

Municipality and the Plumber

At i conforenco of municipal ropreaontalivoa held at Glasgow on July 26th, ex-Bailio Robert Crawford, L.L.D., gave an address on tho subject oi "The Municipality aud the Phuubor." Ho remarked that tho plumber was preeminently a man whoso work was diili. cult to follow or understand, It was hidden work which might ho tormed caviare to tho general public, but which most immediately affected tho public health. The plumbor was the only tradesman who in recent times had mndo persistent efforts to organiso himself with a view to legislative recognition, and so to secure his trade from the influx of incompotonts that it might becomo a pro* tection and a security instead of a menace to tho puclic. A quwk doctor might, by incompetence, lull his pationt quickly; but the unskilful or incompetent plumber might to his work sons to poison slowly and imperceptibly a whole family. Tho public were protected agaiiM the one, but were left to to the mercy of tho other, Last yoar the drainage of 1526 old properties in Glasgow wore tested by tho emoko tost, and only 435 were found in order. This was not a satisfactory rtcoril, and suggested that a largo amount of defective plumbing work still lay undiscovered in city property. Ho asked if the ratepayers should for all timo have to koop up an army o! inspociors to insnro themselves against tho risk of diseaso traccablo to tho work of iguorant and incompetent mcu. Was it not umoh uiovo reasonable to sock for a condition of tho trado, so closely connected with tho public health, which would, by examination and registration, prevent it from boing occupied by tho ignorant an unworthy ? Dr. Crawford proceeded to refer In tho efforts which tno plumbors had put forth in their Registration Bill to securo legislative recognition for their trado; and the nature of tho opposition, which had, for so many years, been successful in opposing it in tho Houso of Commons. In conolusion ho said that local and water authorities could render much holp lo reform by definitely deciding to give preference so far as lay in tlmir power to tho employment of registered plumbers, as ngaiust plumbors not registered. He moved: "That it is necessary to the offtictivo administration of tho Pubic Uoalth and Water Acts that tho authorities ho recommoiidod and enforced to roqniro that the competency of plumbers employed to execute or inspect plumbor's work, under tha regulations of those authorities, shall bo certified by the Plumbers' Company under conditions appertaining to Iho Notional registration of I'hunboi'Borby such other body as may bo set up by tho statute or be approved by tho local Government Boaid." Tho resolution was carried alter some dissuasion.