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be sent under the Factories Act, 1937 or the Mines and Quarry Act, 1954.
It is the duty of the local authority to enforce the provisions
of the Act and regulations within their area, and any duly authorised
officer of the authority may enter premises for the purpose of examinations
and enquiries.
As regards offices in factories, the Act ana the regulations
other than those relating to sanitary conveniences and employment of
women after childbirth are to be enforced by Inspectors appointed by
the Ministry of Labour.
Any person, who, in pursuance of powers conferred by the Act,
is admitted to an office, discloses any information with regard to
the trade or business carried on other than in the performance of
his duty, is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding
£100 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.
Where agreements or leases prevent the execution of alterations
necessary for compliance with the Act or regulations, the County
Court may make an Order setting aside or modifying the terms of the
agreement. The Court may also make Orders concerning the allocation
of the cost of the alterations between the persons concerned.
Persons guilty of an offence under the Act for which no express
penalty is provided by the Act are liable on summary conviction to
a fine not exceeding £50, ana, if the contravention continues after
conviction, they are liable again on summary conviction to a fine
not exceeding £5 for each day on which the contravention is continued.
Where a person is convicted, the Court may order steps to be taken
to remedy the matter in respect of which the contravention occurred.
In the case of a body corporate, any director, manager, secretary
or other similar officer may be deemed to be guilty of an offence as
well as the body corporate if the offence is proved to be with his
consent, connivance or neglect.
NOISE ABATEMENT ACT, 1960
Metropolitan borough councils already have powers under the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, to deal with an " excessive
or unreasonable or unnecessary noise or vibration and which is
injurious or dangerous to health." These words are amended by the
new Noise Abatement Act, 1960, which came into operation in November,
1960, and the noise or vibration must simply be a nuisance. What
constitutes a nuisance is , however, a matter of personal opinion which
the magistrate must decide. Three or more persons aggrieved by noise
nuisance may themselves complain to a Magistrates' Court. The Act
does not apply to noise or vibration caused by aircraft. Section 2
of the Act deals with devices for amplifying sound, and prohibits
their use in streets for any purpose between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. (except
in certain defined circumstances) and at any other time for
advertising any trade, business or entertainment, with certain