View report page

38
D (8) Street Trading
There is no established street trading in the Borough,
there being only two mobile stalls sited in the shopping
area.
No nuisances have been detected at this source.
D (9) River Thames—Effluvia
Effluvia from the River Thames were not so apparent
during the summer months, probably due to the low atmospheric
temperatures which prevailed.
In May, the Parliametary Secretary to the Ministry of
Works announced in the House of Commons that the
Chemical Research Laboratory of the Department of
Scientific and Industrial Research had developed a process
for the production of sulphur from raw sludge to which
calcium sulphate had been added. This had operated successfully
at Beckton. The work had been undertaken in collaboration
with the London County Council which was now considering
the installation of a 100,000 gallon plant for full
scale development trials.
The process was not yet at a stage at which it should
be recommended to all Local Authorities. Results of the
tests at Beckton were awaited, but it had proved economical
in the sense that the system removed a large amount of
water, which meant that the amount to be carried away
was about half the quantity it would otherwise be. This
meant a great saving.
In view of the chemical experiments which are taking
place at the outfall works, it is considered necessary to keep
river and associated atmospheric conditions constantly
under review.
D (10) The Storm of the Century.
Tn the light of structural and other damage caused by
unprecedented rainfall, the night of 5th September, 1958.
is likely to be long remembered. It was at dusk that the
storm approached the town from the west, and at its height
2.04 inches of rain fell—including 1.68 inches in 37
minutes. When it is remembered that one inch of rain on
an acre's surface equals 101 tons in weight, it is not difficult
to imagine what is likely to happen when such mass