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This fact was confirmed during the enquiries carried out in
connection with the Annual Rat Week, which was held the week
commencing 6th November, and in many instances Firms wrote
asking for further advice. Another noticeable feature was the
marked diminution of complaints received during the year.
Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions)
Act, 1920.—Under the provisions of this Act landlords are empowered
to make certain increases of rent, and tenants whose houses
are not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation may apply
to the Sanitary Authority for a certificate to this effect, enabling
them to take proceedings to get the increase suspended until such
time as the necessary works shall have been completed.
Twenty-seven such applications for certificates were received.
Twenty-two certificates were granted ; in the remaining 5 cases the
certificate was unnecessary as the required work was satisfactorily
executed.
Other Scheduled Offensive Trades.—The Foreign Animals
Wharf being still in the occupation of the Military, the Offensive
Trades generally carried on therein have not yet been recommenced.
Smoke Nuisances.—Sixteen observations have been made for
smoke nuisances during the year, but in no instance was it found
necessary to serve a Statutory Notice.
The final Report of the Committee on Smoke and Noxious
Vapours Abatement, has been considered by the Public Health
Committee, and it was felt that as much was being done under the
present enactments as it was possible to accomplish, for by far the
greater amount of nuisance at present existing of this character was
due to smoke not entirely black, and until the law is altered to include
smoke of other than this character, nothing can be done to deal with
the matter. This defect has been brought to the notice of the
London County Council and the Ministry of Health from time to
time, but up to the present nothing has been done to assist Local
Authorities in this respect.
We continue to receive from time to time complaints of alleged
nuisances of this character forwarded to us by the London County
Council, but I regret to have to state that in my opinion there must
be some different form of colour vision in use to substantiate some
of these complaints, for in one case at least, I am positively assured
that it is a physical impossibility to obtain black smoke, yet from
time to time we continue to receive complaints respecting alleged