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35
more temperate than those of the previous year and there were no serious periods
of extensive smog. It is hoped to set up a third Station to complete the coverage
of the Borough and a survey will be made in 1964 to find a suitable site in the
centre of the Borough. The emission of smoke in those areas covered by Smoke
Control Orders appears to be diminishing, but the wider use of fuel oil in industry,
commerce and domestic central heating is likely to increase the emission of sulphur
dioxide. This is not peculiar to Hammersmith but appears to be the trend in the
London area.
Changes in the availability of solid smokeless fuels
In December the Ministry of Housing and Local Government published a
circular No. 69/63 which dealt with rapid technological changes in the gas industry
affecting the future production of open fire gas coke, and the changes in the
availability of smokeless fuels. The current position will need to be reviewed as
in all probability future Smoke Control Orders will be affected with regard to
revised grant arrangement and subsequent increase in expenditure. The choice of
approved appliances will have to be widened to include openable stoves, underfloor
draught fires and electric thermal storage space heaters, which hitherto have
not been extensively used in Hammersmith.
Inter-Borough Smoke Control Liaison Committee
The Committee met three times during the year and many interesting discussions
took place to the mutual benefit of all the participating local authorities. Good
progress was reported in the establishment of Smoke Control Areas during the year.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
Canned Meat
For some time past the Health Committee have been increasingly perturbed
at the number of complaints received from the general public concerning imported
canned foodstuffs and the fact that any action taken must stop at the importer,
so frustrating all efforts to bring the matter to the manufacturers concerned. The
Committee felt that the Public should be made aware of its concern in these cases
and of the action it has taken, therefore authority was given for a statement to be
released to the local Press in the following terms:—
"The Health Committee of the Hammersmith Council would like to draw the
attention of the public to the limited action which the Borough Council can
take with regard to complaints about food imported from abroad.
"During the past 12 months the Hammersmith Council have received four
complaints regarding tins of corned beef, two as to the presence of foreign
bodies and two as to the condition of the meat itself. These complaints are,
of course, extremely small in relation to the many thousands of tins of corned
beef sold in the Borough of Hammersmith, but it is the duty of the Council
as the local food and drugs authority to consider all complaints and to take
appropriate steps with a view to preventing further similar complaints.
"Corned beef is prepared and canned abroad so that it is not possible for
the Borough Council to approach the manufacturer as is the case with food
prepared in this country. Accordingly, particulars of the complaints were
forwarded by the Council to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food,
and the Council have been informed by the Ministry that when complaints
of this nature are notified to them they make suitable representations to the
government of the country in which the corned beef was packed. It is hoped
that by so doing the attention of the respective firms will in turn be drawn to
the need for increased care in the preparation of products for export to this
country."