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Trespass by caravans on road verges and unfenced land continues especially on the
western outskirts of the Borough. The vagrant type who occupy these caravans deposit
domestic refuse, litter of all kinds, waste water and faecal matter in the neighbourhood
of the sites occupied Much time and effort have been given in attempts to
clear them from their usual camping sites but only too often within 24 hours they are
back again.
Under the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Acts three applications for
permission to place caravans on sites in the Borough were considered two were
granted and one refused.
COMMON LODGING HOUSES - There is no common lodging house in the Borough,
CANAL BOATS - The Public Health Inspectors continue their duties as canal boat
inspectors, and made 41 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, over-crowding, 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 X.
Inspection of (a) Factories - mechanical power 630
(b) Factories - non mechanical power 36
(c) Other premises 13
(d) Workplaces 30
(e) Outworkers' premises 92
Defects remedied 19
At the end of the year the number of outworkers registered with the Department
was 229, and the trades on which they were engaged were as follows
Wearing apparel 190
Lace, lace curtains and nets 2
Curtains and furniture hangings 5
Furniture and upholstery 2
Brass and brass articles 1
Artificial flowers 1
Carding, etc., of buttons, etc, 20
Stuffed toys 6
Cosaques, Christmas crackers,
Christmas' stockings, etc 2
DISINFESTATION- The Health Department deals with bug and other infestations in
houses and other premises, and for this purpose D.D.T. and other insecticides are
used. During the year, 37 rooms in 14 houses were treated, while 28 wasp nests were
destroyed, 14 premises cleared of cockroaches, 9 cleared of ants, and 4 of other
insects. Treatment of ponds and tanks to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes was
carried out as necessary.
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 not 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 10 complaints of nuisance from noise were received Seven
were associated with factories, one with an electrically operated sewing machine,
one with gravel extraction and one with the use of loud speakers. In five cases
there appeared to be some justification for the complaint and with the co-operation
of the users of the machinery, considerable reduction in noise was achieved
RATS AND MICE DESTRUCTION, etc:- The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949,
Places the responsibility on the Council 'to keep their area as far as practicable,
free from rats and mice' and occupiers of premises are required to give notice when
they have knowledge that rats and mice are present in substantial numbers. It is
obligatory on the Council to recover the expenses reasonably incurred in taking steps
for the destruction of rats and mice on business premises, but permissive as far as
the cost of treating private dwellings is concerned,. The Council has decided to
make no charge for the treatment of private dwelling-houses unless there is failure
on the part of the owner or occupier to cooperate in preventing infestation. The
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries may make to local authorities a grant equal to
one half of the expenditure incurred in the performance of their duties under the Act
so far as such1expenditure has not been recovered.
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