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Magistrate said he gave his decision on the facts and not on the law of
the case, and that he was not satisfied that the smoke complained of
was black, or that there had been any nuisance.
In considering the magisterial decision on the 13th November,
the Borough Council resolved that application should be made to the
London County Council to furnish a substantial contribution to the costs
incurred, the prosecution having been instituted at the urgent request
of the Public Control Committee of the London County Council, and
the question of preventing the pollution of the atmosphere by smoke being
one that affected the whole Metropolitan area. The London County
Council in due course replied that they are advised that they have no
authority to make any such contribution towards the costs of the
litigation.
Water Supply.
During the year a daily examination of the water drawn from the
King's Road main of the Metropolitan Water Board was made, until the
beginning of September, when the old Town Hall building was vacated.
The highest temperature attained during the year was 66° F., at the end
of July, which is 4 degrees lower than the maximum of 1906. The
lowest temperature recorded, 38° F., was reached early in February.
Throughout the period of observation the water was clear and free from
turbidity, but it was distinctly tinged a yellow-green after the heavy
rains and floods of December.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, contains
a section (No. 78) as follows:—" For the purposes of section 48 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, a tenement house shall be deemed
to be a house without a proper and sufficient supply of water unless
there shall be provided, on the storey or one of the storeys in which the
rooms or lodgings in the separate occupation of each family occupying
such house are situate, a sufficient provision for the supply of water for
domestic purposes." The section contains a proviso that it shall not
apply to any tenement house in respect of which it can be shown that
any such provision for the supply of water as aforesaid, is not reasonably
necessary.
I have already reported fully on this matter (Minutes, 8th March,
1905), and I am of opinion that it is undesirable that there should be
any general application of section 78 of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1907, to the tenement houses in Chelsea. Cases
may, however, arise from time to time, in which the enforcement of the
section may appear desirable.
Basement Workrooms.
During the year 1 new basement workroom has come into occupation,
there being at the end of the year 22 basement workrooms in the
Borough occupied by milliners and dressmakers, with accommodation
for about 180 workers.