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55
Post Office, Bank of England, Clubs, principal
Hotels, Printing Offices, Factories, &c.,
volumes of smoke are observed at all hours.
Respecting restaurants, etc., the intermittent
character of, and the brief time during which
the smoke emission is in progress, constitute
special difficulties in dealing with this evil,
not the least of which is the disinclination of
magistrates to interfere in any arbitrary spirit
with long-established ways of conducting
business.
Objection may be taken to this view on the
ground that no operations of trade can legally
be carried on in such a way as to create a
public nuisance, and that every person
responsible for the conduct of such a business
is bound by law to adopt the best-known
mechanical appliances to ensure perfect combustion
of the fuel used.
Again, the discretionary power invested
in justices affords considerable facilities for
offenders to escape. Thus the "Public