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The Council will be aware that the major smoke nuisance in the Borough arises
from the railway termini and depots. To attempt to create smokeless zones in such
neighbourhoods would be unrealistic. We have every reason to believe that dieselisation
and electrification will have proceeded far by the time we deal with
those areas affected directly by railway smoke, and this is the reason why we
are dealing with them later in our programme. In connection with smoke from the
railways, your Public Health Committee and your officers have been in regular
contact with the railway authorities. Various methods of curtailing the smoke
nuisance pending dieselisation and electrification have been discussed, in
particular, the use of a smokeless fuel on stationary engines under steam. These
schemes have not proved as satisfactory as we had hoped. Apart from technical
difficulties whereby resort to coal is required some time before an engine must
be put into running use, it is found difficult to get complete separation of
smokeless fuel from coal, even when the engines are stationary. Your Public Health
Committee has this matter under constant review and, whilst the end of the smoke
nuisance may be in sight, its curtailment pending the final outcome is a matter
which is considered at almost every Public Health Committee meeting. Regular
observation is kept on our stations and depots.
St. Pancras Association for the Care of the Aged
This work has continued as heretofor. At the time of writing this report,
five nurses are employed full time in caring for elderly persons, advising them

* 1,872 by Invalid Meals of London 5,638 by S. P. A. C. A. There was a lapse of four
months prior to S. P. A. C. A. taking over.
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