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The object of the Smoke Abatement Bill, 1914, was to simplify and strengthen
the law on this question by extending to the whole country provisions based on
enactments in force in the metropolis, and in some few local areas, the practical utility
of which has been proved by experience.
The emission of smoke in quantities from furnaces is mainly due to improper and
uneconomical construction of the furnace, and to careless use and working.
Obviously if the smoke nuisance is due in any degree to extravagant consumption
of coal, the introduction of legislative machinery controlling the construction of furnaces
would be welcomed alike by the public and manufacturers, and experience has shown
that the substitution of modern and economical furnaces for the old-fashioned ones,
having regard to the resulting economy, has not been altogether a hardship.
Briefly, the main provision of the Bill was the prohibition of the use of a furnace
not so constructed as to consume its own smoke and from which smoke of any colour,
or ash, grit, particles, or fumes are emitted, and special powers are granted to the Local
Government Board to make exceptions in special cases in which it is impracticable to
avoid making smoke in the conduct of a business.
Penalty clauses were included in the Bill, and provision was made for the appointment
of Joint Committees.
By Clause 3 (2) "A County Council shall have the same powers as, and shall be
"deemed a Local Authority for the purposes of the execution of the provisions of
"this Act."
From this it will be seen that the complete autonomy of the City was not
preserved.
Amplification of the powers at present possessed by Local Authorities in respect of
the smoke nuisance has long been desirable, and a material advance would have been
made had the main principles of the Bill under review been made law. It was dropped
after passing the second reading.
A committee has, however, been appointed by the House of Commons to enquire
into the question, and the result of its investigations will be awaited with interest.
DEATH REGISTRATION AND BURIAL BILL.
This Bill was described as "a Bill to amend the law relating to the Registration of
Deaths and to Burials."
It was a private Bill, and its main object was to guard against crime and premature
burial, and with this end in view effect was given to the principal recommendations of
the Select Committee on Death Certification.
This Committee, after carefully considering the question, arrived at the conclusion
that having regard to the fact that the present system permits death and burial to take
place without the production of satisfactory medical evidence of death, it was desirable
that some means should be devised, whereby a medical certificate should be obtained in
every case not certified by a registered medical practitioner in attendance.