Page:The Feminist Movement - Snowden - 1912.djvu/135

 Borough Council, which differs from the Borough Council in that it controls the interests of a population of 50,000 or more inhabitants and enjoys more powers than an ordinary Municipal Council, holds and manages the property of the town, and may, with the consent of the Local Government Board, acquire fresh property. This property includes one or more of the great services, such as water, gas, electricity, street-cars, telephones, libraries, parks, schools, milk-depots, slaughter-houses, wash-houses. It controls and supplies adequate drainage, collects refuse, provides hospitals, cemeteries, crematoriums, and inspects factories. It has the power to build houses for working-people and to close insanitary dwellings. It may adopt the Notification of Births Act, 1907, a most important piece of legislation for the nation's infant life. When a Borough is large and has its own police force, a special committee—the Watch Committee—is formed to control it, under whose authority is placed the Chief Constable, who is appointed by the Council. The number of committees is determined by the size of the town, the needs of the locality, and the number of enterprises in which the Council, on behalf of the people, is engaged; but a rapid glance along the list of these common public duties bears out again the contention that a good capable