§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the increasing quantity of smoke and fumes that are emitted from the pottery and drain-pipe works on the river nearly opposite this House; whether he is aware that on Tuesday Lambeth Bridge was invisible in the afternoon from this cause, and that the Committee Rooms, the Terrace, and the dining-rooms were filled for hours with most unpleasant fumes; and whether he can take steps to require the owners of these works to consume their own smoke and not contaminate the neighbourhood with these fumes.
§ MR. CHAPLINThe Local Government Board have no control over the owners of the works referred to in the question, but I have communicated with the Clerk to the Lambeth Vestry, in which parish the works are situated. I am informed that the Vestry have made and are still making daily observations with respect to the emission of smoke from the works of manufacturing firms in the parish, and particularly from the two leading pottery and drain-pipe works on the Albert Embankment, three inspectors having been specially told off for this purpose. Proceedings have already been taken in several cases, and convictions obtained in respect of the emission of black smoke. Several notices have been served upon the pottery and drain-pipe firms in question, awl summonses will be issued whenever any nuisance under the Act can be substantiated. It is understood that large sums have been expended by the two pottery firms in altering their furnaces and appliances, so as to minimise the smoke and fumes arising in the course of their manufacturing processes, and they have expressed their willingness to make any further alterations of a practical nature if any such can be suggested.