§ Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement on the recent poisoning by cyanide of the River Avon below Rugby, as a result of which fish life over a stretch of 13 miles was almost entirely destroyed.
§ Sir T. DugdaleAn effluent containing cyanide discharged from an industrial works into the River Avon last April resulted in the destruction of fish over
332Wconcerned. I have not sufficient information to provide an estimate as at a later date.
a considerable stretch of the river below Rugby. The company responsible were prosecuted by the Severn River Board and fined for offences under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1923, and the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1951. In giving judgment, the magistrates observed that they did not consider that the offences had been wantonly committed. The company have since introduced a new method of treating the effluent, which it is hoped will effectively prevent a recurrence of the pollution.