View report page

116
(II) Effect of Food and Drugs Bill.
The Food and Drugs Bill now before the House of Lords is expected to come into operation
in January, 1939, and provides, inter alia
Section 57 (1). The occupier of a registered or licensed Slaughter House or Knacker's Yard
in use immediately before the passing of the Act shall be deemed to hold a licence granted under the
Section. Such licence will expire three months after the commencement of the Act. A renewal
of such license shall not be refused unless the Authority are satisfied that the applicant or the premises
are not suitable (2 (b)). Notice of a refusal to grant or renew a licence is to be given to the applicant
(4) and an aggrieved person may appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction (5).
Section 58 (2). A person convicted of an offence against any byelaw in addition to other
penalty may have his licence cancelled.
Section 62 (1). A Local Authority may:—
(a) acquire by agreement any Slaughter House and discontinue its use ;
(b) agree with the persons interested for the discontinuance of its use.
Section 62 (2). A Local Authority who have provided a public Slaughter House may (after
proper resolution and with the approval of the Minister) determine that no fresh licences be granted
and all licences then in force shall not be renewed.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
7th July, 1938.
APPENDIX Q.
THE INVESTIGATION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION.
Epitome of the Report of the Standing Conference to the Co-operating Bodies
for the year 1937-38.
For the year ended 31st March, 1938, 50 bodies co-operating in the investigation of atmospheric
pollution appointed representatives to the Standing Conference. This number was made up of 43
municipal authorities, 4 industrial undertakings and 3 other institutions. In addition to these 50
bodies, 36 municipal authorities and one industrial undertaking, co-operated in the work though
they did not appoint representatives to attend the Conference. The 87 co-operating bodies contributed
between them £774 17s. towards the cost of the central services carried out for them by the Department;
and they operated during the year, at their own cost, 124 deposit gauges, 16 automatic filters, 11 sets
of apparatus for measuring the amount of sulphur gases in the air, and 54 sets of apparatus for estimating
the " activity " of sulphur in the air by the lead " peroxide " method.
The most important work which the Department is now carrying out as part of its "central
services" is the survey of atmospheric pollution in and round Leicester. Routine measurements
have now been undertaken for more than a year, and a large volume of data has been accumulated.
At the same time advantage has been taken of the opportunities of doing further research on methods
of measuring. The Conference have no doubt that the final outcome of this survey will be a standard
body of knowledge such as would never have been established save by some co-operative scheme,
like the present, enjoying as it does the support of practically all the more important authorities
in the country. The Conference desire again, to record their gratitude to the City of Leicester, for
the encouragement and practical assistance which it has given throughout to the work of the survey.
Two matters were considered by the Conference. The first was the problem of smoke from
burning colliery spoilbanks. After a discussion on the causes and methods of handling such fires,
the following resolution was carried unanimously:—
"That a protest be addressed to the Ministry of Health about the continuance of the nuisance
arising from burning colliery spoilbanks with a request that action be taken to end the same."
The second question was that of the control of zinc oxide fumes which arise on the pouring of
molten brass. After discussion of the problems involved the Conference unanimously passed the
following resolution:—
"That the question of arranging for investigation into the control of zinc oxide fumes arising
in the manufacture of brass, be referred to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
for consideration and report."
The first meeting of the Conference was held on 23rd April, 1928, and in presenting this Report
to the Co-operating bodies, the Conference wishes to draw attention to the fact that the co-operative
scheme has now been in existence on its present basis for 10 years. The experience gained during
this period has shown that the organisation is well suited to the work of investigating the nature
and extent of atmospheric pollution. Research on instruments and new methods of measurement,
as well as the research at Leicester into the fundamental facts of distribution of pollution is now in