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legality. It is clear, however, that the Port Health Authority should at least possess adequate
byelaws to deal with the really unsatisfactory houseboat, for while it is true there are few of
these at the present time, there nevertheless remains the possibility of sub-standard houseboats
being moored anywhere along the River. Furthermore, the introduction of new byelaws consistent
with modern conceptions of public health would certainly lead to raising the standard of sanitation
aboard houseboats already moored in the Thames.
HOUSEBOATS AT BENFLEET
The Essex County Council Act, 1952, provides that the mooring of any houseboat within the
County shall not be lawful without the consent of the Council of the district in which the houseboat
is situated, and that the Council may require the owner or occupier to remove or demolish
any houseboat not authorised by them.
The Port and City of London Health Committee are, however, still responsible under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for the sanitary supervision of houseboats coming within the
jurisdiction of the Port Health Authority, although under the Essex County Council Act, 1952,
the local Council in Essex are now responsible for the licensing and drawing up of conditions
under which they are prepared to grant licences to houseboats.
The duties of the Committee in regard to the sanitary supervision of houseboats are safeguarded
by Section 212 of the Essex County Council Act, 1952, which provides inter alia that
no consent shall be given to the mooring of any houseboat within the Port of London without the
previous written consent of the Corporation of London as the Port Health Authority of the Port
of London.
During the year the 3enfleet Urban District Council granted temporary consents, subject to
the approval of the Port Health Authority, to sixteen houseboats. No objection to these consents
was raised by the Port and City of London Health Committee.
CLEAN AIR ACT, 1956
The Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) (Vessels) Regulations, 1958
These Regulations came into force on the 1st June 1958, but their general contents had been
known some weeks earlier. In anticipation of the "appointed day' , a conference was held on the
21st May 1958 to which representatives from the various shipping interests were invited to discuss
the best ways and means of implementing the forthcoming Regulations.
At this conference it was agreed to allow a lapse of time before taking any legal proceedings
for smoke offences in order to give the shipping industry time to study their new obligations and
for shipping on the high seas to be warned. The 'moratorium' would also give time for further
propaganda to Masters and Engineers as to their responsibilities and also enable foreign-owned
shipping to be advised of the necessity to conform with the new legislation. Further, it was felt
that although a carefully considered policy, patiently and systematically applied, would not
effect any dramatic result, in the long run it would be more likely to ensure lasting success and
maintain good relations between the shipping industry and the Port Health Authority.
Following the meeting and the subsequent issue of the Regulations,the Port Health Authority
took active steps to make known to Masters, Engineers, and Shipowners the new requirements.
The first step in the campaign for 'educating' Masters and Engineers was the preparation by
the Port Health Authority of a small card pointing out that Dark Smoke from vessels in the Port
of London is restricted by law; the penalties; an appeal to keep clean the air in the Port of
London, and also that the Port of London includes the Docks and the River Thames from the
Nore to Teddington — it is often overlooked that the stretch of the River below Gravesend is still
within the Port of London. These cards were distributed by the Port Health Inspectors as they
visited ships in the course of routine inspections, so providing an opportunity for a talk on the
subject of smoke prevention with the personnel on board.
To assist in making known to foreign shipping the necessity to restrict smoke emission, a
letter was sent to the Consuls-General of twenty-one countries whose ships visit the Port of
London. The letter was as follows:
6th \ugust, 1958.
"Dear Sir,
Clean Air Act, 1956
The Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) (Vessels) Regulations, 1958
"The above-mentioned Act and Regulations make it an offence to emit smoke, except for
minimum periods, from vessels in ports in this country and apply both to British and foreign
shipping.
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