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34
Pollution of the air from this consumption is estimated as equivalent to
approximately two million tons of which half came from domestic sources.
From these figures it will be seen that although industrial emissions may
be more spectacular the steady pollution of the air from domestic fires needs
constant supervision and education of the public as to means of prevention.
The powers given in the Tottenham Corporation Act to form "smokeless
zones" will in time prove an effective way of eliminating the nuisance from
domestic appliances.
During the year a number of industrial undertakings sought, and were
given, prior approval to the installation of solid fuel burning appliances.
Housing
Since the end of the War the Council has provided 744 units of living
accommodation in houses and flats. This is a substantial contribution and is
no doubt reflected in the health and well being of those fortunate citizens
now living in new dwellings.
Far too many citizens of the Borough, however, live in old property in
varying stages of disrepair. It is to the Health Department that the occupants
of these houses look for relief from their difficulties. Complaints
which are investigated reach substantial numbers and during the past year
there has been no diminution in the number of notices served.
Housing Act, 1936: Sections 9 and 10
These sections of the Housing Act, 1936, are popularly known as the
"repair sections" and are the statutory authority by which the Council can
obtain the repair of unfit and insanitary houses.
Having regard to economic trends many authorities make little or no use
at all of these sections. The difficulty of the interpretation of "reasonable
cost" is a very real one and the question of "the value" of a house is
far from being solved. Nevertheless, these sections have been used by this
authority as being more expeditious than the more cumbersome procedure under
the Public Health Act, 1936,
The decline in the amount of work being done "in default" has been maintained
and whilst the reasons for this are much as stated in my last year's
report there is no doubt that owners are now more anxious to carry out their
own work.
The following is a summary of work carried out under sections 9 and 10 in
the owners' default during the past 15 years.