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58
ANTI-FLY CAMPAIGN.
The campaign to combat the fly nuisance was continued. By arrangement,
and with the co-operation of the Cleansing and Transport Superintendent, all
dustbins and dust chutes were dusted during the fly-breeding season with
gammexane after the receptacles had been emptied by the Council's refuse
collectors.
During the year a full survey has been made of all refuse container
compartments at the foot of the dust chutes in Local Authority flats and
because of the rapidly changing nature of refuse, that is to say more bulk
as the Smoke Control Area Programme continues, working' in close harmony with
the Borough Engineer on this subject work is already planned to bring these
refuse container compartments up to standard of the British Codes of Practice
Number 306 (1960).
FREE WASHING FACILITIES.
Free washing facilities are installed in every public sanitary
convenience in the Borough, but these are unfortunately not being used as
much as we should like to see.
PAID PUPILLAGE.
Whilst it has been impossible to invoke a properly organised training
scheme for students because of the complete absence of experienced District
Inspectors and the depleted number of less experienced District Inspectors,
the brighter prospects of a full complement of Public Health Inspectors in
1962 has enabled a proper scheme of training to be planned. There are at
the moment two trainees in the Department and the establishment has been
altered so that three trainees may be employed.
NOISE ABATEMENT ACT 1960.
The Noise Abatement Act, one year old on 27th November 1961, is now
becoming well known. Local Authorities have dealt successfully with
thousands of noise nuisance cases-most without going to Court, and the
tremendous pressure by Public Health Inspectors and by other professional and
voluntary bodies is bearing fruit. For the first time in history, a Minister
of the Government has admitted that noise is harmful. The fact that his
jurisdiction extends only to hospitals is lamentable; nevertheless, we salute
the Right Honourable Enoch Powell for his courage in openly declaring that
patients need quiet conditions for quick recovery. The instructions to
hospital staff are already having a marked effect.
The Government Committee on the problem of noise admit that their
evidence tallies with the opinions of so many of us engaged in this important
work, but some of their number hold the view that noise is part of the price
we must pay for progress. Many organisations have been invited to submit
suggested remedies to the Government Committee, and no doubt plenty of
suggestions will be made which if implemented, will make the crime of noise
nuisance most unprofitable.