§ LORD RAVENSWORTH, in putting the Question with regard to the operation of the Alkali Works Regulation Act, of which he had given notice, said, that two years ago a Select Committee was appointed at the instance of the noble Earl below him (the Earl of Derby) for the purpose of inquiring into the injuries occasioned by noxious vapours evolved in I certain processes of manufacture. The inquiry had been conducted with great ability, and an Act dealing with the subject to a limited extent was passed. One main reason for his bringing the subject to the attention of their Lordships was, that when be was last at Newcastle he had observed with no small dismay that 254 the tall chimneys in the neighbourhood of that large town were vomiting out volumes of smoke as dense as ever, and he began to doubt whether the Act really was operative. That Act enjoined that 95 per cent of the noxious gases should be disposed of by condensation before being passed into the air, and it also provided for the appointment of Inspectors and sub-Inspectors to see that its provisions were carried into effect. He had applied to a gentleman well qualified to give him information on the subject, who was a witness before their Lordships Committee a year or two ago, and his Report was that the result of his inquiries showed a general concurrence of opinion that the alkali makers had been more careful, and that the Act had been certainly productive of great improvement. He was therefore willing to believe that the great volumes of smoke which he had seen issuing from the chimneys had been deprived of the noxious qualities; and with a view to ascertain how the Act was being carried out in other parts of the country, be wished to ask the Postmaster General, If be had received any information through the Board of Trade of the success of the recent Act of Parliament for mitigating the nuisance occasioned by noxious vapours from chemical manufactories?
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYwas afraid that he could not give the noble Lord much information, as the Act bad only been passed so recently, and the Inspectors were only appointed on the 1st of January last. He was able, however, to confirm what the noble Lord had stated as to the operation of the Act in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, and in many cases he was told not merely 95 per cent, but actually 100 per cent of the noxious gases was extracted. He was glad to say, too, that the manufacturers bad shown a cordial desire to co-operate with Inspectors, and he had little doubt that before the end of the year all the manufacturers would have adopted the machinery of the Act.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYhoped that the success of the Act would so far remove the apprehensions expressed by the noble Lord last year as to the serious effect it would have on the manufacturers, that he would be ready to go on and extend it to other trades which, though equally noxious, were not so prominently offensive as these alkali works.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that his apprehensions were confined to the extension of the Act to other manufactures. He had felt no apprehensions as to the alkali works, because there there was a machinery existing which the manufacturers were ready to use.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYsuggested that, as the noble Lord had now purified the air, he might now go on to purify the water.
§ LORD RAVENSWORTHsaid, he was informed that the discharge of noxious matter into the river at Newcastle was enormous.
§ House adjourned at half past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.