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32
Combined Drainage.
During the year six claims were made by owners of houses drained
by combined operations that the common portions of those drainage
systems were "sewers" within the meaning of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, and that the Council were consequently responsible
for their maintenance. In the following five cases the Council admitted
the liability and carried out the necessary works to the "sewers" at the
cost shown :—
£ s. d.
22/24 Ascalon Street 42 10 0
34/36 Glycena Road 225 6 3
108/114 Northcote Road 260 14 1
135/137 St. James' Drive 34 0 8
153, &c., Usk Road 132 10 4
£695 1 4
In the remaining case, liability was repudiated, and the work was
subsequently carried out by the owner at his own expense.
In all the five cases mentioned above, the drainage systems were,
in every sense but the legal one, private drains, and but for the definitions
of the terms "drains" and "sewer" in the Act they would have
been the responsibility of the owners.
Smoke Nuisances.
During the year a number of complaints were made, alleging
nuisances from smoke, dust, grit, etc., emitted from premises occupied
by various industrial and public utility undertakings in the Borough.
All such complaints were carefully investigated.
By far the most persistent and serious emissions were found to be
taking place from the premises of two public utility undertakings.
There is no doubt whatever but that these emissions were very extensive,
and apart from the danger to health, they seriously affected the
amenities of considerable areas around them.
In both cases the emissions were brought to the notice of the
Authorities operating the undertakings, and their representatives subsequently
discussed the matters with myself and other Officers of the
Health Department. The representatives laid great emphasis on the
frequency with which fuel of unsuitable type and/or poor quality was
supplied to them, and upon the difficulty and delay in securing the
replacement of obsolete or worn-out plant. While there undoubtedly
was a certain element of truth in these suggestions, I was by no means
satisfied that the Authorities were employing the best practicable means
to minimise the emissions. Accordingly, meetings were arranged at the
premises, at which all aspects of the operation of the plants were investigated.
As a result, the Authorities agreed to put into effect various
measures. Some of these measures involve the replacement of old plant,
and the installation of new, and it will therefore necessarily be some
considerable time before they become effective. In the meantime,
assurances were given that all possible steps to reduce emissions to
the absolute minimum would be taken.