View report page

The need for making the best use of our fuel and for avoiding waste is a matter of national concern.
During the year the Federation of British Industries published " Fuel Economy Pays"; the Combustion
Engineering Association held a special conference on the subject; the National Union of Manufacturers
and the Trades Union Council gave the matter publicity and the Coal Utilisation Joint Council did much to
instruct housewives on how the best results can be obtained from solid fuel supplies. With the cooperation
of the Education Department another course on boiler house practice was arranged at Spring
Grove Polytechnic but the response from employees of local firms was most disappointing.

The amount of pollution by sulphur gases is expressed as sulphur trioxide (SO3) in milligrammes
per day per 100 square centimetres. Sulphur trioxide when in contact with water forms sulphuric acid
and its presence in the atmosphere is one of the causes of corrosion of metals and building materials. The
deposit from the atmosphere consists chiefly of soot, ash and soluble matter.
Tents, Vans and 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 843 visits of inspection
because of the occupation of land by caravans. Trepass by caravans on unfenced land was not
as frequent as in recent years, but action had to be taken for the removal of 30 caravans.
Six applications, under the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Act, for permission to place
caravans on sites within the Borough were considered; three were approved and three refused. Because
of an attempt to establish, without the consent of the Council, a caravan site on the south west border of
the Borough" action was taken in Court. The defendants were fined £5 with £5 5s. costs and £5 5s. with
£3 3s. costs while 16 occupiers of caravans were fined 10/- each.
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
48 inspections during the year.

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, waterbuts, 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 75 rooms
in 33 houses were treated, while 19 wasp nests were destroyed, 7 premises cleared of cockroaches, 1 of
woodworm and 2 of ants. Four ponds or tanks were 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
c larged to show '' that he has used the best practicable means of preventing or mitigating the nuisance,
laving 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 not
17