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not exceeding £5. Here the difficulty is to secure the name and address of the offender and of witnesses
willing to testify.
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. During the year the Sanitary Inspectors made
266 smoke observations on factory chimneys and made many visits to premises concerning which complaints
of smoke nuisance had been received.
Five smoke nuisances were proved at two premises. The nuisance in one case was alleged to be
due to fuel and improvement followed when a change of supplier was arranged. The other nuisance
occurred at a hospital and there the engineer admitted the faults of his stokers and arranged for them to
attend a course of lecturers. With the co-operation of the Education Department another course on
boiler house practice was arranged at Spring Grove Polytechnic but the attendance of employees of local
firms was disappointing.

A point of interest in the above table is that the heaviest rainfall occurred in August. The average
sulphur deposit during May to September inclusive, when domestic fuel burning is at a minimum, was
0.41 milligrammes as compared with an average of 1.20 milligrammes during the other seven months.
The meteorological conditions in December, when fog was prevalent, did not favour the dispersal of smoke
and this is reflected in the high records of deposit and sulphur.
There is universal agreement that soot and sulphur compounds from the burning of coal accelerate
the destruction of metals, fabrics and structures. Steel and non-ferrous metals are corroded and brickwork,
stonework, cement and mortar all suffer damage. Our ceilings, windows, curtains and "marks'
over radiators all show evidence of atmospheric pollution. Here is a problem which, apart from constituting
a health hazard, affects us all materially in some way or other and it is up to everyone in their
own sphere to do what they can to reduce atmospheric pollution.
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 784 visits of inspection
because of the occupation of land by caravans. Trespass by caravans on unfenced land was not
as frequent as in recent years, but action had to be taken for the removal of 28 caravans.
Four applications, under the provision of the Middlesex County Council Act, for permission to
place caravans on sites within the Borough were considered; three were approved for a limited period and
one was refused. Action was taken in Court in regard to two offenders against the provisions of the
Middlesex County Council Act. A fine of 20/- was imposed on two occasions against one offender. A fine
of 20/- was imposed on the other offender who entered an appeal which was allowed.
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
54 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; («
provision of sanitary conveniences in all factories, and (e) cleanliness, over-crowding, ventilation an
drainage of floors in the case of factories in which mechanical power is not used. A summary of the wor
done is given below and in Table VIII.
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