MR. HEYGATEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he would state to the House whether he possesses any power under the Smoke Prevention Act, or under any other Act of Parliament, enabling him to deal with the nuisance created in Lambeth and Westminster by the muriatic acid fumes arising from the Lambeth potteries?
MR. BRUCEsaid, there could be no doubt that under the provisions of the Smoke Nuisances Act, the Secretary of State constantly exercised jurisdiction with respect to the consumption of smoke 1707 in potteries. It had been reported to him that the kilns of the potteries in question had been as well made as possible for the purpose of consuming the smoke, and that, if any escape of smoke occurred, it must be through the fault of the stokers. The police had strict orders with reference to those cases, and where necessary, it was their duty to prosecute. Prosecutions were frequently being instituted before the magistrates, and he hoped they would in future consider the expediency of passing somewhat severe sentences for a violation of the law. He hoped, however, now that attention had been called to the matter that the stokers would be more attentive to their duty. The complaint in the present instance was not so much of the escape of palpable smoke, as of muriatic acid gas. The escaped gas was not provided for by the Smoke Nuisances Act; nor did the case come within the Alkali Act. If any smoke or gas was evolved injurious to health, it was the duty of the local authorities under the Sanitary Act to prosecute, and in cases where it was injurious to property the law left the remedy to be provided by the individual suffering.