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59
Hairdressers' and Barbers' Premises
At the end of the year there were 139 hairdressers and barbers
premises. To these thirty-four visits were paid to see that the bye-laws
made under Section 282 of the Middlesex County Council Act to secure the
cleanliness of the premises, instruments, towels, equipment and materials
used in the premises and all the requirements of the Shops Act were being
complied with. Except in four instances, the premises were found to be
satisfactory.
S.77 of the Public Health Act, 1961, empowers a Local Authority to
make byelaws for securing the cleanliness of premises, instruments and
equipment used, and also the cleanliness of the hairdressers and barbers
in regard both to themselves and their clothing.
CONTROL OF NUISANCES
Atmospheric Pollution
Smoke Complaints. Eighteen complaints were received during the
year about smoke nuisances. Five of these concerned the emission of
smoke from dwellings in the area affected by the Council's No. 1 Smoke
Control Order. Enquiries showed the householders had failed to appreciate
what was expected of them; they took immediate steps to deal with the
situation.
Of the other complaints most were about the chimneys of incinerators
where stoking lapses led to smoke emissions. These, however, were not
serious.
Smoke Control
During the year, the first smoke control order came into operation,
the second order had been confirmed and much work had been done in
relation to the third order.
Area No. 1. On November 22nd, 1960 the Minister of Housing and
Local Government confirmed the Borough of Harrow Smoke Control
(No. 1) Order to come into operation on September 1st, 1961. This deals
with some 2,179 dwellings and other premises in an area of 225 acres. The
estimated cost of adapting and replacing the fireplaces was about £40,000.
This sum was reduced by £1,000 because of the decision of the Minister
that only where firebricks were defective or had to be renewed should
their replacement qualify for a grant. This original estimate was prepared
on the assumption that all who were eligible to take advantage of the grant
would do so. The experience of other authorities was that only about onethird
would in fact do so. By the end of August, out of the 1981 private
dwellings, applications had been received in respect of only 775. Of these,