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I have to report that it has been necessary to take proceedings in nine
cases against the owners of steam vessels.
During the year, 232 complaints in respect of nuisance caused by the
emission of black smoke have been received, 165 intimations under Section 3,
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, have been served, and 22 Statutory
Notices under Section 4.
Such Statutory Notice after being served is only effective for six months,
luring which period the vessel may not have been in the Port, or may not
have been observed to emit black smoke, in which case it has been necessary
to begin again by serving an intimation, reporting the facts to the Port
Sanitary Committee, satisfying them of the existence of a nuisance, and then
waiting for an offence to be committed.
The Solicitor thereupon decided to take proceedings under Section 12,
which enables any individual to complain to a Justice of the existence of a
nuisance.
The Sanitary Inspector made complaint in a private capacity as an
individual, and in five instances a conviction was obtained.
It is satisfactory to record that a marked improvement has taken place, as
although 232 complaints were made, the nuisance was observed to recur in
only 10 instances.
The London County Council have inserted a clause in their General
Powers Bill for 1910, for dealing with the emission of smoke other than black ;
if it becomes law the hand of Sanitary Authorities for dealing with this form
of nuisance will be greatly strengthened.
On 5th June, I received a letter from a Trades Union Society complaining
of the want of suitable sanitary conveniences and supply of drinking water at
a certain factory situated in the Victoria Dock. I visited the locality and at
the time of my visit there was no nuisance which could be dealt with under
the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. The Secretary of the factory undertook
that the sanitary conveniences in question should be emptied as often as
might be required, and my suggestion as to obtaining a proper and sufficient
supply of fresh drinking water was complied with. The sanitary conveniences
in question have been kept under observation and no nuisance has
been found to arise therefrom. These sanitary conveniences are of a type
common to the whole of the Dock, and are not in my opinion satisfactory,
but owing to lack of powers it would be difficult at present to compel the
Port of London Authority to substitute an improved form of drainage. It
will be remembered that the Local Government Board on 29th October, 1907,
held an Enquiry at Guildhall on the subject of granting increased powers
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to the Port of London
Sanitary Authority, and for which application was made by the Corporation
as long ago as 1905.