View report page

15
Other Pests
The number of complaints of vermin have again been few. With
modern insecticides most casual infestations can be readily dealt with
by householders.
The identification of insects, with advice on treatment, is a
service much appreciated by housewives who are often unduly worried
as to the nature of the infestations.
No trouble was experienced with the midges in the Castelnau
area, which have been the subject of complaints in previous years.
This is no doubt due to the energetic measures taken by the Metropolitan
Water Board in the vicinity of their reservoirs.
The areas where mosquitoes, midges, etc., are likely to be a public
nuisance were again treated early in the season. With so much public
open space in the Borough however there is not a great deal that can
be done in this direction, except at greatly increased cost.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
The Clean Air Act, 1956 is now in force. It brings up to date
and improves the old law relating to nuisance from smoke and other
forms of atmospheric pollution. For many years it has been an offence
to emit black smoke from an industrial chimney. From 1st June, 1958
it will be an offence to emit dark smoke from any chimney for more
than two minutes in any one half hour. Dark smoke is smoke of a
density which most people would object to on sight. It is rare however
for domestic chimneys to emit smoke so dense as to be ‘dark’
smoke and thereby commit an offence. However, the new Clean Air
Act encourages the creation of Smoke Control Areas. In these areas
only such fuel as will produce little, if any, smoke is allowed to be
burnt. This means that all those fireplaces in regular use in the area
would need to be adapted to burn a smokeless fuel. In the majority
of cases this means the substitution of a modern open fire grate for
the old fire grate. It need not mean a new surround also. A gas
poker or similar device is, however, needed to start a fire burning
smokeless fuel. Electric or gas fires, of course, are already smokeless.
The cost of adaption is to be shared by the Government (40%), the
local Council (30%), and the owner (30%). The actual cost to the
average household is likely to be in the region of £3 per fireplace in
regular use. If the householder is a tenant this may mean an addition
to the rent of about 1d. per week per grate. (Bedrooms will not
usually be considered for grant).
In return the householder will get a modern grate with more
efficient and cheaper heating. He may lose the sight of leaping flames
but will eventually enjoy a longer and healthier life with the satisfaction
of knowing that he is getting more value from the same
weight of fuel than ever before.