View report page

80
SMOKE NUISANCES.
Nine cases of smoke nuisance were reported during 1910. The
number of observations recorded amounted to 360, as against 237 noted at
fourteen premises in 1909.
The service of Notices upon offenders resulted in the abatement of the
nuisances in all cases, and therefore there has been no occasion to take further
action in the matter.
In my reports for previous years, attention has frequently been invited to
the necessity for amendment in the law with a view to strengthening your
powers and those of the Metropolitan Borough Councils for more completely
abating smoke nuisances.
In my annual report for 1909, reference was made to certain sections of the
London County Council (General Powers) Bill. This Bill has resulted in the
passing of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1910, an Act
referred to in greater detail on page 71, but which, as far as smoke nuisances
are concerned, does not appear to effect much improvement.
As frequently reiterated, the pall of darkness so often hanging over London
is undoubtedly largely due to the smoke from the chimneys of private dwellinghouses,
the factory chimney as a rule contributing but a small portion of the
whole, and while the Acts of Parliament under which we are governed permit
private dwelling-houses to send forth black smoke in unlimited quantity, and
any premises other than private dwelling-houses to send forth unlimited smoke
of any sort provided it be not black, any drastic mitigation of the evil is
improbable.
The most useful alteration of the Law proposed by the Bill mentioned, viz.,
that any chimney (not being the chimney of a private dwelling-house) sending
forth smoke in such quantity as to be a nuisance shall be a nuisance liable to
be dealt with summarily (thus omitting the word "black" which still obtains),
has not been retained in the Act as passed, thus continuing the existing difficulty
of local authorities in taking offenders into Court, and necessitating the
proof that the smoke causing the nuisance was black.
Annoyances are still reported by occupiers of lofty buildings from chimneys
at a lower level. Proprietors of restaurants and grills occasionally give trouble
to their neighbours when lighting or forcing their fires and by improperly
burning refuse, requiring the interference of your officers; but it is to be noted
that the atmosphere is now much less dense than in former years, and in the
summer season it is noticeable that on many afternoons, while clouds of
smoke overhang adjoining districts, but little smoke is seen in the clear air of
the City.