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101
NUISANCE FROM GAS WORKS.
Complaints were received during the year, of nuisance from the gas works at Kensal.
green—a subject fully dealt with in the annual report for 1894 (page 166). There can be no
doubt as to the genuineness of the complaints, which receive confirmation from Willesden, the
inhabitants of that district suffering when Kensington people have no ground for complaint, and
vice versli; the incidence of nuisance varying with change in the direction of the wind. The
matter having been referred to the Law and Parliamentary Committee of the late Vestry, they
reported that—
"By section 29 of the Gas Works Clauses Act, 1847, which applies to the Gas Light and Coke
Company, the company is not to be exempted from indictment for nuisance, or any other
legal proceeding to which they may be liable in consequence of making or supplying gas;
and in a case decided in 1877 it was held that a gas company was not entitled to create a
nuisance in exercising their statutory powers or in carrying out their statutory obligations.
(Attorney.General v. Gas Light and Coke Company, 7 Ch. D. 217)."
The Committee therefore advised the Sanitary Committee that—
"If there be evidence of a substantial public nuisance caused by the Gas Light and Coke
Company, the Vestry are entitled to proceed by indictment, or for an injunction to secure
its abatement."
The Vestry accordingly addressed a communication to the company intimating that
observation would be kept up, and that on any recurrence of the nuisance proceedings would be
instituted. A reply was received to the effect that, while objectionable smells did proceed at
times from the works, such smells being caused by the elimination of sulphur impurities from
the gas, according to the stringent requirements of the metropolitan gas referees, every known
appliance for the prevention of nuisance was adopted. The company suggested a reference to
the gas referees, being of opinion that they would be able to satisfy the Vestry that the best
possible system wa3 being carried out; but, in the event of improvement being suggested, the
directors signified willingness to adopt and to carry out any recommendation. The Vestry
adhered to the position taken up with regard to the legal responsibility of the Company to see
that no nuisance should arise from smells from their works, and left it to the company to appeal
to the gas Teferees, if they thought any useful purpose would be served by their so doing. That
the cause of nuisance is more or less within control would appear from the intermittency of the
complaints, and as the smells are at times not perceptible to any noxious degree in the vicinity of
the works. No proceedings, whether by indictment or for an injunction, have hitherto been
taken.
WATER SUPPLY.
No complaint was received during the year with respect to the quality of the water supplied
by the companies who serve the borough, and which is good enough to satisfy reasonable require.
ments of consumers. The West Middlesex, the Grand Junction, and the Chelsea supplies are
examined monthly by the public analyst, whose reports thereon are 'duly published in the
minutes of the proceedings of the Council. Constant supply is given in all parts of the borough.
There is nothing to be added to what has been said in previous reports in regard to the cutting.off
powers of the companies, which should be abolished. The London County Council are still
of the opinion that they should be empowered to buy out the companies who supply the metropolis,
and a great deal more than the metropolitan area. The President of the Local Government
Board, however, has lately introduced a Bill providing for the acquisition of the companies' pro.
perty by a Water Board.
Water Regulations.—The most interesting event of the year in connection with
water supply was an attempt on the part of the companies to obtain alterations
in the water regulations, of what was deemed a one.sided character, the effect
having been to unite the County Council with the Borough Councils in an
opposition, which proved successful. The Local Government Board appointed persons
of engineering experience, as required by the Act, to consider the proposed new regula.
tions put forward by the companies, and at the outset there was every appearance of a long and
costly fight; but the matter fell through, the companies at an early stage of the enquiry having
thought it prudent to withdraw their proposals, so that the regulations made in 1872 are still
in force. Seeing that the President of the Local Government Board had announced his intention
of bringing in a Bill, in the Session of 1902, dealing with the Water Supply of the Metropolis,
the time might well have been deemed unsuitable for the companies' move, the current regula.
tions having worked well, and without serious objection on the part of owners or occupiers of
houses. The conclusion arrived at therefore gave general satisfaction. Had the enquiry been
carried to completion, it would probably have resulted in a compromise that would nave pleased
neither party, and it would certainly have involved an immense expenditure on both sides,
In the five days over which it extended, only two witnesses were examined, to whom 2,664