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supply of town gas. In consequence of this circular a variation of the
Smoke Control Order No. 1 was made permitting certain people not
having a supply of gas to the house to use sticks and paper for kindling.
Smoke Control Order No. 2 was prepared giving general permission
for occupants of houses without town gas to use sticks and paper.
On the 29th September a Public Meeting was held in the East
Barnet Grammar School hall dealing with the subject of clean air
and smoke control areas generally. Approximately 80 people attended
and representatives of the Council, Gas and Electricity authorities and
Solid Fuel manufacturers and suppliers were on the platform to
answer questions. A film show lasting about 45 minutes, showing
three films entitled: "The Future is Electric", "Window to the Sky",
and "All lit up". The first film "The Future is Electric" showed the
production of electricity and atomic power stations; "Window to the
Sky" being a general film on the workings of the Clean Air Act and
"All lit up" being a cartoon on the use of gas ignition. These films
were loaned to us by the Electricity Board and the Gas Council.
Following the film show questions were invited by the Chairman of
the General Purposes Committee from the audience. This gave rise to
a lively 1½ hours of question and discussion between the audience and
the panel.
The impact of smoke control on the Public Health Department has
caused a great increase in the work. In the majority of cases the
applications are received, approvals made by the Committee and
ultimately the grant is settled with little difficulty. The few cases in
which the procedure is not followed create an amount of work which
is entirely out of proportion to the numbers of cases. In organising
Smoke Control Order No. 2 an attempt is being made to iron out
some of the difficulties which were encountered by occupiers and
owners in the first area.
The introduction of the smoke control in East Barnet appears to
have been well received by the public in general and has not presented
any undue difficulties. Undoubtedly the benefits of smoke control are
wide and far reaching but until a considerable portion of the area
is smokeless the benefits will not be fully appreciated.
WATER SUPPLY
During the year the Barnet District Water Company ceased to exist
on the 1st April and was superseded by the Lee Valley Water
Company.
The water is obtained from deep wells sunk into chalk being the
same supply as under the Barnet District Water Company.
During 1960 a total of 598 samples of the water supply to the East
Barnet Urban District were taken and examined. Between January
1st and the 31st March the Barnet District Water Company took 136
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