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Sanitary Inspection of the Area.—Apart from the work recorded in other paragraphs of this
Report, the Sanitary Inspectors continued their general duty of abating nuisances and dealing with
contraventions of the Public Health Act, etc. This work has been and continues to be seriously handicapped
by shortage of labour and materials. Some particulars of the work done are given below :—
Complaints received 2,017
Number of premises at which nuisances, etc., were located 1,447
Number of premises where defects were remedied:—
(a) by owners or occupiers 1,414
(b) by Council in default 51
(c) public sewers repaired by Council 26
Informal notices issued 1,035
Written reminders issued 897
Statutory Notices served 206
Total number of inspections and re-inspections 21,643
Inspections of piggeries 64
Inspections of stables 99
Inspections of urinals 13
Inspections (Rag Flock Act) 2
Sinks repaired or renewed 62
Roofs repaired 485
Gutters repaired or renewed 358
Number of premises provided with damp-proof courses 2
Yards paved or drained 29
Floors, walls, etc., repaired or renewed 1,590
Windows repaired or renewed 514
Doors repaired or renewed 146
Grates provided or repaired 154
Wash coppers provided or repaired 12
Larders provided or repaired 5
Offensive accumulations removed 46
Other nuisances abated 110
Visits re infectious disease, etc. 214
Smoke Abatement.—The emission of smoke, grit and ash from a factory chimney may constitute
a nuisance within the meaning of the Public Health Acts. Smoke from domestic chimneys can
be a nuisance and do a lot of damage, but is free from all supervision or control. The Sanitary Inspectors
carried out 46 smoke observations on factory chimneys during the year and paid many visits to premises
which had been the subject of smoke nuisance complaint.
Tents, Vans, Caravans.—The inspectors made 362 visits of inspection because of the occupation
of land by tents, caravans, etc. In one area of the Borough trespass by caravans on unfenced land is
particularly frequent. Removal of the caravans usually followed verbal notice from the Sanitary Inspector,
but at other times the assistance of the Police had to be obtained and the caravans towed off the site.
In this way caravans were removed on 165 occasions. The occupants were of the type who travel round
the fringe of urban areas ; and go from door to door buying or selling firewood, scrap metal, etc., and
it was not unusual for the caravan to be back on the same site within a few days.
There are 5 sites in the Borough which have been used as caravan sites for many years. Some of
these are occupied wholly or in part by persons who use caravans for business in connection with a travelling
circus, roundabout, fair or stall.
Under the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Act permission to establish caravans on
four other sites was refused by the Council.
Common Lodging Houses.—There is no common lodging house in the Borough.
Canal Boats.—The Sanitary Inspectors continue their duties as canal boat inspectors and made
57 inspections during the year.
Factories, Workplaces, etc.—The Factories Act placed on the Council certain duties in regard to
(a) outworkers; (b) employment of persons in unwholesome premises; (c) basement bakehouses;
(d) provision of sanitary conveniences in all factories, and (e) cleanliness, overcrowding, ventilation and
drainage of floors in the case of factories in which mechanical power is not used. A summary of the work
done is given below :—
Inspection of (a) Factories—mechanical power 653
(b) Factories—non-mechanical power 31
(c) Other premises 35
(d) Workplaces 75
(e) Outworkers' premises 167
Defects remedied 34
Mosquitoes.—Complaints from the Whitton and Twickenham Road areas of the presence of biting
mosquitoes have been less during 1947 than in recent years. No evidence was found of the presence of
culex molestus, the biting mosquito, that caused so much annoyance during the years 1939-46.
Disinfestation.—The Housing Department deals with verminous infestation in Council houses,
while such infestations in other houses is dealt with by the Health Department. For this purpose
D.D.I. and other new insecticides were used and 61 rooms in 22 houses were treated.
Noise Nuisance.—In the Middlesex County Council Act a noise nuisance is deemed to exist "where
any person makes or continues or causes to be made or continued any excessive or unreasonable or unnecessary
noise which is injurious or dangerous to health." Further, it is a good defence for the person
charged to show " that he has used the best practicable means of preventing or mitigating the nuisance,
having regard to the cost and to other relevant circumstances." Most complaints of noise nuisance arise
in connection with industrial processes carried on in factories situated close to houses. From the above
nition it will be seen that many factors have to be taken into consideration in judging whether or not
a noise is a nuisance within the meaning of the Act, though there may be no doubt about the annoyance
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