Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-13 00:00:00

THE SMOKE NUISANCES AGAIN.

Yesterday, two large firms of this town were summoned
before the magistrates for infringements of the Smoke
Naisances Prevention Act,.by the direction of the Health
Committee, before whom the complaints had been daly
heard and considered ; and the present proceedings deter-
mined upon. The only magistrates on the bench were
Messrs. R. Gladstone and Shtel ; bat as they were etch of
them members of the Health Committee, who might be
considered as the presecutorts, they declined to adjudicate
on the eases, but as each of the parties summoned,
expressed a desire that they should hear the cases,
they raluctaptly consented. Mr. Mao wan, the deputy
town clerk, appeared to represent the Health Com-
mittee, and was assisted by Mr. Wigaall, the
inspector of nuisances, who was in attendance to sup-
port the summonses. In opening the case, Mr. M'Gowan
said he WAS instructed to appear there on that occasion to
make a complaint against two firms for permitting dense
volumes cf smoke to issue from their chimneys, to the
annoyance of the public, and contrary to the act of par-
liament. Toe first complaint was against Messrs. Bann
and Bedford, the large and important glass bottle malufac-
turers, who have an extensive- establishment in Kirkdele.
With regard to this establishment, he was compelled to say
that there had been many complaints made against it;
indeed, the works were a great nuisance to the public waen
such dense volumes of smoke were allowed to escape. Some
time since there was a most scientific investigation in this
court as to whether it was really possible to suppress the
smoke nuisances, in such establishm-nts as that belonging
to the defendants ; on that occasion a number of scientific
witnesses were called and examined, and the result of it
was, that it was clearly proved to the stioendary magistrate
of ;his town that there was no more difficulty in suppres-
sing the nuisance in these manufactories than there was
in an; other. There was no doubt, but that Messrs.
Bedford had themselves d ,ne all they could to prevent the
nuisance, but it eppeared teat the men were determined
not to act with the master, and to throw every difficulty in
his way. Therefore as it was through their neg igence,
the only way that c uld be adopted was to inflict
the full penalty which would fall upon the
men eventually, and thus show them that they must be
more careful in future. I shall merely prove the case,
and then leave it to the magistrates to inflict what penalty
they please, but at the same time,. I do hope that, in order
to prevent any further complaints, they will inflict the
full penalty. Mr. Wigeall, the Inspector of Smoke,
was then called, and he stated that on the 6 h of Jule, he
visited the works, and saw deans volumes of black smoke
issuing from the cone, which was a very large one. The
smoke of wsic'n he had to complain, issued from six minutes
past three until eleven minutes past three, and again from
seventeen minutes past three, until fourteen minutes past
th tee ; again from forty minutes psst three until forty-four
minutes past the same hour; and again from forty-nine
minutes past three until fify-two minutes past the
same hour ; when he entered the works, and the smoke
was immediately abated. It Was very black emoke, and
it C. 31110 out in masses. The Inspector then went on to say
that a similar case had been bef lee the magistrates on the
25 h cf February last, on which occasion Mr. Wye
Wiiliem and others ha .l proved that there was no neces-
sity, with proper care for such smoke to escape. He also
proved that notices of the complaint had been served on
the defendants on the 19th of llarch, the 16th of April,
the 29th of April, the 11th of May, and on the present
occasion ; also that after the latter date the Deputy Town
Clark had written a letter to the defendants, informing
them that unless the nuisance was abated that he
should be compelled to bring them again before the
Court. Mr. Belford said that the firm had made
several improvements in their furnaces, and they thought
that they had mitigated the smoke a great deal. He
denied that there was any smoke on the 19th of March, for
at that time they were making bcs ties, and no smoke
could escape at that time, and that he could prove by
witnesses. He understood that there was grey smoke, but
that he said could not be helped. Mr. M.G twan then
read over the rules and regulations issued by the Messrs.
Carrington, who were engaged in similar works, in which
they admitted that, with proper care and attention on the
p art of the men, the nuisance could be abolished. Mr.
Gladstone : Hive they b3en fined before this ? Mr.
Wignall : They have, four times. On the 25th of
February they were fined £5. The Bench then imposed
a penalty of £5 and costs, being the utmost they could

The next case proceeded with was that of Mr. Charles
Robert Simpson, the proprietor of the rice mills,
in Burlington-street, who was charged with having
permitted a similar nuisance on the 6:h of June. Mr.
51•Gowtn said there was soe,e difference between this
case and the last, for this was the first time the defendant
had been summoned before the bench, although it was not
the first time that notices of complaints had been served
upon him. Bet in this mete there was no difficulty of
suppressing the nuisance, as it was merely moving a rotatory
engine, although it might be said that there was some
difficul in doing so in glass work!. Mr. Wignall was
then cello !, and he stater). that on the ti!h. of June he saw
dense volumes of black smoke issuing from the defen,
dent's cone, from two minutes past one until
fifty-six minutes past the same hour, a period of fourteen.
minutes. He had been in the works, and there wa3 no
occasion for such a nuisance if the stoker was careful, and
that he had proved to the employes on several occasions.
He also stated that notices of complaints had been served
on the defendants in November, 1855, and in November.
1856. Mr. M‘Gowan : Thus shoring tint the nuisance
can be prevented. The Inspector : And in June, 1856,
and on the present occasion. Mr. Simpson said that he
believed that the issuing of black smoke could be prevent-
ed; but as he Was not on the works at the time the infor-
mation was laid, he was not is a position to admit or deny
the charge. Th'y had employed a most experi-
enced engineer, in whom they had groat con-
fidence, but they had also the son of the foreman
who was much younger, and perhaps not so ca-eful, and
therefore he must leave the ease in the hands of the
magistrates. The Bench,. in adjudicating upon the case,
said there was every, :peta4 that the defendant hal used
every exertion in his lover; therefore they would only
fine him in the mitigateWettalty of 20s. and costs. .
In each of the above caps. Mr. Wignall proved that the
furnaces were in good Order, and that, therefore,' the
nuisance could be prevented by proper care and attention
on the part of the persons employed in the feeding of the
farnaces.