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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 37 smoke observations on factory chimneys during the year and paid many visits to premises which
had been the subject of smoke nuisance complaint.
A grit nuisance from the chimney of Government premises was abated on representations' being
made to the Department concerned.
The usual excuse given for the occurrence of a smoke nuisance is that the right type of fuel for the
boilers cannot be obtained. While this is a contributory factor, there is no doubt that smoke nuisance
in most cases is due to bad stoking, inattention to damper control and/or defects in the plant.
The Chief Sanitary Inspector arranged for two films, "Boiler House Practice" and "C02 and
Draught," to be shown at the Health Department on 30th January to an audience of 39 composed chiefly
of representatives, including stokers, from firms operating steam-heating plants in the Borough. The
Divisional Engineer, Ministry of Fuel and Power, was present, and dealt with questions raised at the
conclusion of the films. With the co-operation of the Education Department a course on boiler-house
practice was started at Spring Grove Polytechnic in the autumn but, though notice of the course was
widely circulated to persons and firms who should have been interested, the number who enrolled for the
course was very disappointing. "The Stoker's Manual" and "The Maintenance of Industrial Boiler
Plant," published by His Majesty's Stationery Office for a few pence should be in the hands of all stokers.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has evolved apparatus for measuring atmospheric
pollution and has expressed a desire that Local Sanitary Authorities should, throughout the country,
install such apparatus so that regular records should be available for investigation. The Council decided
to participate in the scheme, but owing to delay in delivery of the apparatus, no recordings were made
during the year.
Tents, Vans, Caravans.—There are five sites in the Borough which have been used as caravan
sites for many years. Some are occupied wholly or in part by persons who use caravans for business in
connection with a travelling circus, fair or stall. During the year the inspectors made 969 visits of inspection
because of the occupation of land by caravans. The area of the Borough where trespass by caravans
on unfenced land was so frequent has been reduced by recent building operations and trespass was not so
frequent during 1950. Removal of the caravans usually followed verbal notice from the Sanitary Inspector,
but at times the assistance of the Police had to be obtained. In this way 38 caravans were removed during
the year.
Four applications, under the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Act, for permission to
place caravans on sites within the Borough were considered ; one was approved and three refused.
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
87 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.

At the end of the year the number of outworkers registered with the Department was 167.
Mosquitoes.—No complaint of the presence of biting mosquitoes was received during the year.
Culex molestus, the biting mosquito that caused so much annoyance during 1939-46, appears to have ceased
to breed in the district. Householders, gardeners and allotment holders can do much to discourage breeding
of mosquitoes by attending to ponds, water buts, liquid manure pits, etc.
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 120 rooms
in 48 houses were treated, while 10 wasp nests were destroyed, 13 premises cleared of cockroaches, 1 of
crickets, 1 of moths and 3 of ants. One pond was treated to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
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
residents in the neighbourhood of the factory concerned. During the year complaints of nuisance due
to noise were received in regard to five factories. Day and night observations were made concerning the
complaints and in conjunction with the firms concerned measures were taken to reduce the noise as far as
was practicable.
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