View report page

74
Complaints to the London County Council.
During the year 591 complaints were made to the Council of alleged insanitary conditions,
in connection with which the Council's officers inspected 2,153 premises.
Nuisances.
Smoke nuisances.
The annual reports of medical officers of health show the following proceedings in connection
with smoke nuisance—
In Paddington, in consequence of complaints received, shafts and chimneys connected to
five premises were specially kept under observation, and legal proceedings instituted with respect
to a brewery, a penalty being recovered. In Kensington in several instances complaints were
made by the London County Council, the Smoke Abatement Society, and private persons ;
cautionary letters were found to suffice. In Hammersmith legal proceedings were instituted in
respect to three laundries and a penalty recovered in each ; nine summonses were also taken
out against the Central London Railway, and a penalty recovered in each instance. In Fulham
eighteen intimation notices and six statutory notices were served ; a penalty was recovered from a
firm of contractors for the Earl's Court Exhibition. In Chelsea eight smoke nuisances were
abated. In Westminster 2,728 observations were made, and fifty-eight preliminary and eighteen
statutory notices served; legal proceedings were instituted in six instances, four of which
were successful; the proceedings in the two cases in which there was failure related to
clubs which the magistrate held were private dwellings. In St. Marylebone the
inspector made 162 visits to premises concerning which there were complaints; the
number of complaints was twenty-two. In St. Pancras there were 214 smoke shaits
on the register; the number of complaints received was seventy-two, 145 separate
observations were made, and sixteen intimation notices served. In Islington there were
229 observations. In Hackney 543 observations were made, and notices served in sixty-three
cases. In Holborn chimney shafts were kept under observation, and twenty-seven notices served ;
legal proceedings were instituted in four instances, penalties were recovered in three cases, and
the summons was withdrawn in the fourth on payment of costs by the defendant. In Finsbury
thirty-three smoke nuisances were abated; legal proceedings were instituted successfully in
two instances. In the City 3,536 observations were made relating to sixty-six premises ; in five
cases legal proceedings were successfully instituted. In Shoreditch the shafts and chimneys were
kept under observation, complaints were received from the County Council and Smoke Abatement
Society, and in each instance steps were taken to prevent recurrence of the nuisance. In
Bethnal Green there was one prosecution, a penalty being recovered. In Stepney notices were
served in respect of 125 premises, most of which had no smoke consumers of any kind ; these
consumers have since been constructed, and there was great improvement towards the end of the
year ; there were legal proceedings and penalties recovered in eight cases. In Poplar legal
proceedings were successfully instituted in six cases, and unsuccessfully in one ; notices were
served when necessary and nuisance abated, smoke consuming apparatus being provided in some
cases. In Southwark observations were made on 274 days, sixty-three complaints were received,
twenty-six intimation and twelve statutory notices were served, and a penalty recovered in one
case. In Bermondsey there were 460 observations, and 134 offences were reported, in eleven
cases penalties were inflicted ; the medical officer of health states that the absence of jurisdiction
of his authority over the Surrey Commercial Docks caused much difficulty ; the Port
sanitary authority was communicated with, but before the presence of the Port inspector could be
secured the nuisance had for the time ceased. In Lambeth the smoke inspector made 679
observations and inquiries, fifty-seven notices were served, and the nuisance was abated in each
case ; complaints were received from the County Council ; a list of premises kept under observation
is included in the report. In Battersea, the medical officer of health says, the action taken
by the health committee in 1900 has had an excellent effect, and complaints are now much
fewer ; during 1902, sixty-six observations were made, fifty-nine intimation and twelve statutory
notices were served, legal proceedings being instituted in twenty-two cases. In Wandsworth there
were forty-six cases of smoke nuisance, in three cases legal proceedings were instituted, two of
which related to smoke nuisance from locomotives. In Camberwell in fifty-two cases smoke
nuisance was abated. In Deptford observations were kept on various premises in the borough,
and 159 cases of smoke nuisance were reported, and notices served in seven cases. In Greenwich
270 observations were made, statutory notices were served whenever necessary ; information as to
smoke nuisances was frequently received from the County Council. In Lewisham various
premises were kept under observation in consequence of complaints, and the nuisance abated
after notice ; in certain cases notices were served concerning railway locomotives. In Woolwich
105 observations were made, proceedings were taken against four offenders for eight separate
offences, a penalty being recovered in each instance ; the medical officer of health states that
"although there is still a good deal of unnecessary smoke from the arsenal chimneys, I am glad
to be able to record a distinct improvement at these factories."
Nuisance from stable manure.
The number of references in the annual reports to nuisance from stable manure are
comparatively few, probably owing in part to the cool weather which prevailed during the summer
months. The enforcement of the Council's by-law in abolishing receptacles for dung sunk below
the level of the ground, has, however, no doubt largely reduced nuisance from this cause. Dr.
Priestley states that in Lambeth, where there are numerous refuse and manure depots, with
the exception of accumulations at Shot Tower Wharf, owing to foggy weather preventing barges