NOISE ABATEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22000, 5 January 1935, Page 10

NOISE ABATEMENT

PROGRESS IN ENGLAND

VALUE OF CO-OPERATION

MOTORISTS CHIEF OFFENDERS

"The motor-cycle is the chief offender in the matter of noise in England," said Sir Henry Fowler, chairman of the Noise Abatement Committee in Britain, yesterday. Sir Henry arrived by the Wanganella on a holiday trip to the Dominion, during which he hopes to make contact with relatives of his and to meet old friends in the South Island. ,

Two years ago, stated Sir Henry, the engineering section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, of which he was president, raised the question of excessive noises and effect on public health and efficiency. To test public opinion in the matter a referendum was carried out in the press, the London Times taking the lead. Within a short time the public had given their verdict and the committee was able to inaugurate a plan of campaign. To-day three separate organisations wero working to bring about quieter conditions, these being the Anti-Noise League, the Special Committee of the British Association and the Ministry of Transport, which was empowered to effect the necessary legislation to improve matters. Good Results Achieved The co-operation of the various bodies interested in the movement and the motor manufacturers was already bringing about excellent results. Expert research engineers had been working to devise silencers which could be fitted without lowering the efficiency of the machines and so giving the offending parties no excuse for a continuation of that particular nuisance. Motors contributed to the noise in several ways, said Sir Henry, most of which were primarily the result of poor driving. There was far too gteat a tendency to "drive on the horn," always a sign of inefficiency. Unnecessary and noisy gear changing, racing engines and running with loose parts vibrating all made their contribution to the din of the traffic of a large city, and at the same time tvere causes of additional i running expenses. The use of motor j horns at their worst was to be experi- j enced in' Paris, the prevalence of the bulb-horn making that city very noisy, j However, Paris had followed the lead of London in compelling silence during certain hours. Use of Radio Sets

The inconsiderate use of radio sets which were loud enough to disturb people in neighbouring houses was also coming under the consideration of the committee, and where difficulty was being experienced in this matter special by-laws were being put into force for the protection of those being annoyed. Sir Henry has had a distinguished engineering career. He was chief mechanical engineer of the London Midland and Scottish Railway from 1925 to 1930, and has held the office of president of several of the leading institutions in connection with railway and other branches of engineering. During the war he was Director of Production to the Ministry of Munitions and later superintendent of the Royal Aircraft Factory. He also liolcls the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps. He has written a number of papers on engineering and has won many of the leading prizes given for such work. His main athletic interest has been in hockey and he is one of the selection committee in this sport in England. He is also interested in Rugby football.