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15
Industrial Co-operation:
I was enabled to attend the conference of the Combustion
Engineering Association which in the event proved very informative.
Many representatives both of industry and of Local Authorities were
present and the result was that even during the very short period of
the conference the respective viewpoints of diverse interest were
brought out in a manner which under more formal surroundings might
have been well nigh impossible.
The future progress of Clean Air proposals as they affect industry
must rest substantially upon goodwill and understanding between the
Local Authority seeking to enforce the law and industry responsible for
carrying it out. It is, however, clearly advantageous if each can be
convinced that the other is not acting purely arbitrarily and is seeking
in fact to carry out the spirit as apart from the letter of the law. I
think that this conference achieved considerable progress in a limited
sphere towards this end.
It is always tempting to be critical of a smoke control policy which
quite clearly presents a path with some thorns but nevertheless with an
ultimate target from which there can on grounds of national policy
and personal health and economy be no deviation. I might, therefore,
apart from appealing to individuals also appeal to any organisations
interested to consider not only the problems associated with securing
clean air but also the manner in which these problems can be overcome.
Constructive suggestion is the most profitable form of criticism.
Joint Meeting:
Meetings were held with our neighbours Romford and Dagenham to
explore the possibility of joint action in. the creation of smoke control
areas and in the taking of any other measures which might react to our
common advantage. The meetings were helpful in that they elicited the
points of view of the varying Authorities regarding future action to deal
with the adjacent parts of the three towns. It was not, however, possible
at this early stage to decide upon concrete proposals to this end and
the immediate results of our meetings were therefore of a strictly limited
character. What is possibly more important is that a mutual liaison has
been established and is maintained in being which will undoubtedly be
called upon in the future to bring about much more important and
practical advances towards clean air than have so far been achieved.
Smoke Control Area-Cranham:
The first Smoke Control Area selected was in Cranham in the area
bounded by Front Lane, Brunswick Avenue and Roseberry Gardens. It
consisted largely of a modern Council Housing Estate in which each
house had in fact a modern smokeless fuel burning appliance. In addition
some 11 private houses were also included. The area was selected
after careful consideration and in terms of the Government's Memorandum
on Smoke Control Areas. Certain points which determined us to
select the Cranham area were; —