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104
SMOKE ABATEMENT.
Considerable emphasis has been given during the past
year to the question of Smoke Nuisance in Lambeth by
the action of the London County Council, who, at the time
of the Coal Strike, took the opportunity of exercising the
power contained in Section 100 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, and summoning two firms for
creating a nuisance under the Smoke Section of the Act,
alleging that the Vestry were in default. A Special Report*
on the subject was presented by the Medical Officer to the
Vestry on July 21st, 1898, and unanimously adopted by the
Vestry, who, consequently, decided to take no further action
against offenders, pending the settlement of the Coal Strike—
it being shown that the firms in question (and others) were
doing all they reasonably could be expected to do to
minimise, as far as practicable, any nuisance. The County
Council were not satisfied with the Vestry's action, took
out summonses against Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co. and
Messrs. Seth Taylor, and obtained a conviction in each
case—penalties of £10 (with £2 2s. Od. costs) and £5 5s. Od.
(with £2 2s. Od. costs) being respectively imposed. The
Magistrate held that a chimney, not being the chimney
of a dwelling-house, sending forth black smoke was a
nuisance per se, and that no evidence could be taken as
to existence of smoke-prevention appliances, kind of fuel
used, &c.
This action of the London County Council is open to
criticism—whether in respect of Lambeth or other Metropolitan
Districts, and to show the invidious position in
which a Local Sanitary Authority may be placed, it may
be stated here that the Si. Giles' Board of Works were
* Vide Appendix, p. 23.