ON FUEL ECONOMY. 289 



was, however, recommended that the Central Housing Authority should have 

 certain supervisory powers in regard to heating methods over housing schemes 

 submitted by local authorities, and that the latter be empowered to m^ke 

 by-lavrs requiring the provision of smokeless heating arrangements in new 

 buildings other tlian private dwelling-houses. This is probably as far as it 

 is practicable to go in the present state of public opinion ; for it seems wiser 

 to rely upon its further education and enlightenment rather than upon vexatious 

 legislative prohibition for the abatement of domestic smoke. 



With regard to the question of industrial smoke, it was recommended by 

 the Departmental Committee : (1) that the Ministry of Health should be given 

 clearly defined power to compel or act in place of any defaulting authority 

 which refuses to perform its duties in administering the law with regard to 

 smoke; (2) that, instead of the present absolute prohibition, which it is 

 impossible to observe, there should be imposed upon all manufacturers, users 

 and occupiers of any business premises or processes, engines or plant of any 

 description whatever, a general legal obligation to use the best practicable 

 means, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the question 

 of cost, for avoiding pollution of the air by smoke, grit, or any other noxious 

 emissions ; (3) that the same law should also apply to all Government establish- 

 ments, and all rail and road locomotives and motor cars of whatever weight 

 and type, and to steamers on rivers, estuaries, and lakes ; (4) that the Mini-stry 

 of Health should be empowered to fix smoke standards from time to time ; 

 (5) that the duty of enforcing the law with regard to the pollution of the air 

 by smoke should be transferred from the local sanitary authorities, in whose 

 jurisdiction it now rests, to the county authorities — i.e. the Councils of Counties 

 and County Boroughs — albeit that minor authorities should still have the power 

 to take proceedings, if they so desire ; (6) that for proved breaches of the law 

 much larger fines should be imposed than at present ; and (7) that the Minister 

 of Health should assign to one or more competent officers the duty of advising 

 and assisting local authorities and manufacturers with regard to diflScult smoke 

 problems, and that such officers should report annually on the steps which arc 

 being taken, and the progress which has been made, in the suppression of 

 avoidable smoke. 



Since its inception in 1915, this Committee of the Association has carefully 

 considered data and proposals relating to the causes and prevention of industrial 

 smoke, and has been pleased to note progressive improvement, due largely to 

 the increasing study of fuel economy in its various branches in regard to smoke 

 abatement throughout the country, and that the JNIinistry of Health has taken 

 evidence with a view to passing further legislation on more rational lines than 

 that at present existing, which has become very much of a dead letter by reason 

 of the extreme remedies it proposes. 



It must be remembered that, even with the best appliances used with the 

 greatest care, it is practically impossible altogether to prevent black smoke being 

 produced for some small portion of the time when raw bituminous coal is burnt, 

 and that in some industrial operations more smoke is apt to be produced than 

 in others. It is evident, therefore, that no legislation should penalise the 

 emission of what may be reasonably considered to be the minimum amount of 

 smoke by competent judges who are familiar with the nature and the require- 

 ments of the particular industrial operation concerned. Indeed, it may be 

 predicted that any attempt to do so would probably be as ineffective as the 

 present enactments, and would thei-eby merely defeat its ow'n purpose. 



This Committee, having carefullv considered the matter in its various aspects, 

 has come to the conclusion that the best way of further aliating the pollution of 

 the atmosphere by smoke would be the institution by the Ministry of Health 

 of a national Smoke Inspectorate on similar lines to the already existing Alkali 

 Inspectorate, which has admittedly worked well and with beneficial results to 

 the industry concerned. 



Cfin?irfe.s in i\fcmbrr.?h)p. — Since its last reappointment the following changes 

 have taken place in the membership of the Committee. Mr. E. Bury retired 

 on account of frequent absence abroad; Sir Joseph Walton, M.P.. retired on 

 account of ill-health, and !Mr. Robert Armitage, iJI.P., was co-opted in his 

 place. Mr. Wallace Thorneycroft has been co-opted in the place of the 

 late Mr. G. Blake Walker, and Mr. E. Myers in the place of Mr. D. V. 



X 3 



