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67
[1930
Smoke Nuisances—93 complaints of smoke issuing from factory chimneys
in the Borough were investigated, and as a result 128 observations were made by
the District Inspectors, and 18 notices served upon the owners of the businesses
requiring the abatement of the nuisance. It was not, however, found necessary
to institute legal proceedings.
Water Certificates.—Four water certificates were granted in accordance
with the provisions of sec. 48 (2) Public Health (London) Act, 1921, in respect of
152 separate tenements newly erected or rebuilt during the year.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (GRADING AND MARKING) ACT, 1928.
MERCHANDISE MARKS ACT, 1926.
All the Sanitary Inspectors are officially appointed for this work. The special
inspections for this particular duty under the Merchandise Marks Act and under
the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, numbered 367.
Under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, certain articles
were added to the list which may be graded and marked. At the end of the year
regulations were in force applicable to apples and pears, beef, broccoli, canned
fruits, peas and beans, cherries, cider, dressed poultry, eggs, glass-house grown
tomatoes and cucumbers, malt flour and malt extract, potatoes, strawberries, wheat
flour. No applications were received during the year for registration for cold
storage or chemical storage of eggs.
The Orders in force under the Merchandise Marks Act at the end of the year
were in respect of honey, fresh apples, raw tomatoes, currants, sultanas and
raisins, eggs in shell, and dried eggs, oat products, malt products. One fruiterer
was prosecuted for exposing for sale imported fresh apples not bearing an indication
of origin, and was ordered by the Magistrate to pay the costs.
The Merchandise Marks Act so far as costermongers are concerned is found
difficult to enforce. The Inspector, as often as not, is met with the plea of real or
assumed ignorance. The number of comparatively young persons in these days
of improved education who state that they cannot read or write and who plead
ignorance of the difference between Colonial and Foreign is amazing. It is practically
impossible to get from these costermongers their proper names and addresses.
If such are presumably given, they are untraceable at the alleged address. The
Police have the same difficulty, the barrow is generally a hired one, and the owner
of the barrow point blank refuses to give any information, or pleads ignorance as
far as the name of the hirer is concerned when asked. This, of course, applies to
the itinerant vendor and the vendor within an enclosed or private area. The
stationary vendor in a public thoroughfare has of course to be registered with the
local licensing authority as a street trader. Repeated warnings have been verbally
given to the former class without much effect, and it would appear that to make
these warnings effective some further powers regarding compulsory exhibition of
the name and address is necessary.
WIDOWS', ORPHANS' AND OLD AGE (CONTRIBUTORY) PENSIONS
ACT, 1925.
Since these powers were delegated by the London County Council, no case
has arisen so far under Section 6, so none falls to be reported on in 1930. The
Section deals with the special provisions as to additional allowances and Orphans'
Pensions, and in certain cases the Orphan's Pension payable in respect of a child
would in the interest of the child be administered by the local authority or some
other person for the benefit of the child, where a representation is made to the
Minister by the local authority, or otherwise,