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investigation it appeared that the Department had no power to take direct action, the complaints
were referred to the Town and Country Planning Authority and to the Police. In no case was legal
action necessary by the Council.
Atmospheric Pollution.—Observations were made regularly throughout the year, and 24 complaints
were received in respect of smoke nuisances arising from 19 premises, relating to commercial undertakings,
blocks of flats, private houses, a public institution, and to the two electricity generating
stations. With the exception of those arising from the last named, the nuisances, although recurrent
in some instances, were abated after informal action.
Apparatus to record the amount of atmospheric pollution, more especially from grit emissions,
in the vicinity of the electricity generating stations in Aberdeen Place and Lodge Road was installed
on the roof of Welfare Centre No. 2, Lisson Grove, close to the generating stations, and on the roof
of the Town Hall to act as a "control." These sites were chosen upon the advice of the Atmospheric
Pollution Branch of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The apparatus came into
operation on the 1st April, 1950, and monthly readings are to be taken for a year. The findings will
be reported and discussed in next year's report.
Fuel Technology courses, arranged by the Ministry of Fuel and Power, were held during the
autumn at technical colleges in the Greater London area. The object of these courses, which were
primarily intended for firemen, boiler attendants and engineers, was to raise the standards of boilerhouse
operation, thus ensuring the economical and efficient burning of fuel with a consequent reduction
of the nuisance caused by smoke and grit emission. The names and addresses of 13 establishments
in the Borough where boiler installations of any considerable size are in operation were forwarded
to the Ministry, with a suggestion that copies of the syllabus might be sent to the managements of
these concerns.
Poisons.—The names of 78 traders were on the Council's list of persons entitled to sell poisons included
in Part II of the Poisons List (Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1852 to 1941), the premises concerned
numbering 90.
Factories.—The great majority of factories in the Borough were surveyed during the year by the
sanitary inspector who specialises in this work, with the part-time assistance of one of the women
sanitary inspectors. The remaining factories will be dealt with in 1951.
As required by section 128 of the Factories Act, 1937, a report on the administration by the Borough
Council of the matters under Parts I and VIII of the Act is given in Tables 4 and 5.