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82
Marine Stores
In 1953 the Public Health Committee became responsible for the
registration of marine store dealers. This term includes the dealer in
old metal which in turn under the Old Dealers Metal Act of 1861 includes
any person dealing in buying and selling old metal, scrap metal,
broken metal or partly manufactured metal goods or defaced or old
metal goods. At the end of the year five persons were registered with
the Authority.
Hairdressers' and Barbers' Premises
Section 282 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944, enables a
local authority to make byelaws for the purpose of securing the cleanliness
of any premises in their district used for the purpose of carrying on the
business of a hairdresser or barber and of the instruments, towels, equipment
and materials used in the premises. Every person using any such
premises shall keep exhibited in a suitable place a copy of the byelaws.
There are in the district 128 such establishments. They are visited
periodically to see that the requirements of the byelaws are being complied
with.
CONTROL OF NUISANCES
The Sanitary Inspectors keep under supervision various buildings,
water courses and parcels of land so as to be in a position to take action
to prevent unsatisfactory conditions arising.
Atmospheric Pollution
The small interest that has been taken in the subject of pollution
of the atmosphere has been reflected in the limited reference to it in
legislation. The nuisance sections of the Public Health Act, 1936, refer
to any dust or effluvia caused by any trade, business, manufacture or
process which is prejudicial to the health of or a nuisance to the inhabitants
of the neighbourhood, and some half a dozen clauses deal
specifically with smoke nuisance, one of these clauses exempting the
domestic chimney. One section gives powers to an authority to make
byelaws; but these byelaws are concerned more with limiting rather
than eliminating black smoke. There is then in the legislation nothing
of the preventive outlook; the powers given are to take action only
when an offence has been committed.
In recent years the aid of legislation has been invoked to provide
something on the preventive side because local authorities, by powers
obtained by private Acts, are establishing smokeless zones. A smokeless
zone is an area in which the emission of smoke from premises is prohibited,
with recurring penalties, except where it can be shown that the
smoke arises from an appliance suitable for authorised fuel and properly
maintained and used and that it resulted in the burning of that authorised
fuel, or of other fuel when that authorised fuel was not available. The
area is prescribed by an order made under powers obtained by a local
Act and confirmed by the Minister. There is usually a provision that
the area may later be extended. The order specifies the authorised