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grant towards the cost of adaptations were made in the
first smoke control area. This left some 400 houses and to
ascertain the position a single visit was made to each. Access
was obtained to 152 and in 150 of these it was found that
some adaptation enabling the occupier to comply with the
Order had been made, although no grant had been applied
for. It was felt that this revealed a very satisfactory state of
affairs.
Residents in the proposed Smoke Control Areas are
kept fully informed by visits to each house, by letters and by
the visits of the mobile exhibition of the Solid Smokeless
Fuels Federation, whose continued assistance I am glad to
acknowledge.
The smoke control programme was reviewed and accelerated
so that approximately 1,500 dwellings will be included
in areas each year and the whole district covered by
1969. The burning of waste materials at industrial premises
can give rise to the production of a considerable amount
of smoke and in order to control this the Council decided
that Section 47 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1961
should be operative in the district. It became available on
the 1st day of December.
Pollution of the atmosphere by smoke from dieselengined
vehicles continues to increase, according to my
observations. Very few of these vehicles, it would seem, are
able to operate, particularly in the lower gears, without
emitting some smoke. The activities of the Ministry of
Transport Inspectors is very welcome, and it is hoped that
this will be maintained and increased, but further steps are
necessary to bring home to the operators of these vehicles
their responsibilities to society. Neglect of these responsibilities
should carry a far greater risk of punishment than it
does today. Those who manufacture and service the fuel
injection equipment for diesel engines in road vehicles
should recognise their failings and try to do something about
them.
Noise Abatement
The Noise Abatement Act, 1960, came into operation
on the 27th November, 1960. It provides that noise or
vibration which is a nuisance shall be a statutory nuisance
for the purposes of the Public Health Act. 1936, and restricts
the operation on highways etc. of loudspeakers.
The use of loudspeakers by vendors of certain foodstuffs,
for example, ice cream, is permitted, subject to