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20
Vestry Hall,
Kensington,
October ith, 18G4.
Gentlemen,
According to your Distractions, I beg to report upon tlie condition
of the Candle Factory, opposite tlie Vestry Hall, Kensington High
Street. The scction of the Act of Parliament, applying to nuisances
arising from the melting of tallow, is the 27th of the Nuisances Removal
Act, (page 558), which enacts that " If any Candle House, Melting
House, &c., be at any time certified by a Medical Officer, to be a nuisance
or injurious to the health of the Inhabitants of the neighbourhood, the
local authority shall direct complaint to be made before any justice, &«.,
and if it shall appear to such justices that the trade carried on by the
person complained against, is a nuisance, or causes any effluvia injurious
to the health of the Inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and that such person
shall not have used the best practicable means for abating such nuisance,
or preventing, or counteracting such effluvia, the person so offending
shall upon a summary conviction for such offence, forfeit and pay a sum
of not more than £5, nor less than 40s.," &c.
The next section enacts that if the part}- complained of objects to have
the cause tried by such justices, the local authority shall abandon all
proceedings before the justices, and shall take proceedings at law, or in
equity, in Her Majesty's superior courts, for abating the nuisance complained
of.
It thus appears that the question at issue is, has Sir. Smith, the occupier
or owner of this Candle and Melting House, used the best practicable
means for abating or counteracting such effluvia? and I am bound to say
that, after inspecting every establishment; both large and small, in the
Metropolis, I am unable to point out any further scientific means which
he could adopt. His premises have been under supervision ever since
my appointment, and I have reported several times to your Vestry, the
steps Mr. Smith has taken to reduce the nuisance. It is however a
question which I think your Vestry should take into consideration,
whether these premises should not be examined by some one experienced
in operations of this kind, and a report handed to you on the subject.
I remain, Gentlemen,
Your faithful Servant,
FRANCIS GODR1CH,
Medical Officer of Health.