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Roofs repaired 248
Gutters repaired or renewed 146
Number of premises provided with damp-proof courses 10
Yards paved or drained 21
Floors, walls, etc., repaired or renewed 1,130
Windows repaired or renewed 486
Doors repaired or renewed 138
Grates provided or repaired 137
Wash coppers provided or repaired 1
Larders provided or repaired 5
Offensive accumulations removed 47
Other nuisances abated 147
Visits re infectious disease, etc. 210
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 it is free from all supervision or Control. The Sanitary Inspectors
carried out 202 smoke observations on factory chimneys during the year and paid many visits to premises
which had been the subject of smoke nuisance complaint. The quality of fuel supplied is the usual excuse
given for the occurrence of a smoke nuisance. While this may be a contributory factor much could be done
to prevent waste by more careful attention to firing and to the condition of the plant.
Tents, Vans, Caravans.—The inspectors made 860 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 153 caravans were removed. The occupants were of the type who travel round the fringe of
urban areas, 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
11 other sites was refused by the Council.
During the year proceedings were taken on 5 occasions against owners of land and on 3 occasions
against occupiers of caravans for contraventions of Section 345 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944.
Fines and/or costs were imposed on each occasion.
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
90 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 and in Table VIII.
Inspection of (a) Factories—mechanical power 788
(b) Factories—non-mechanical power 55
(c) Other premises 24
(d) Workplaces 118
(e) Outworkers' premises 229
Defects remedied 46
Mosquitoes.—Complaints from Whitton and Twickenham Road areas of the presence of biting
mosquitoes have been less during 1949 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 Health Department deals with bug and other infestations in houses and
other premises and for this purpose D.D.T. and other new insecticides are used. During the year 84 rooms
in 30 houses were treated while 23 wasp nests were destroyed, 8 premises cleared of cockroaches, 3 of earwigs,
1 of steam beetles and 1 of ants.
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
definition it will be seen that many factors have to be taken into consideration in judging whether or no
a noise is a nuisance within the meaning of the Act, though there may be no doubt about the annoyance
to residents in the neighbourhood of the factory concerned. During the year complaints of nuisance due
to noise were received in regard to six factories. Day and night observations were made concerning tnes
complaints and every effort made in conjunction with the firms concerned to reduce the noise as far as
was practicable.
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