ACID OVER LONDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22714, 29 October 1935, Page 16

ACID OVER LONDON

♦__ , TONS EVERY DAY England's (500 years'- endurance of atmospheric pollution by smoke was scathingly criticised at the annual conference of the National Smoke Abatement Society at Bristol, says the Daily Telegraph. Dr H. A. des Voeux, in his presidential address, eaid: "We have, for 100 years or more, been clustering like sardines in a tin under the smoke pall of our enlightened cities and admiring our superiority over primitive man. Primitive man, sitting in his cave in a cloud of wood smoke, was not co foolish. He took an intelligent interest in smoke and had his theories about it. We have none. " Six hundred years have passed since the use of coal was forbidden in London, and we have not yet solved the smoke problem. The English are a slow people." Points from other addresses were:— "A comprehensive survey, should be made of the causes of atmospheric pollution. There is a daily liberation of the equivalent of over 1000 tons of sulphuric acid into the atmosphere of London. The damage suffered by the community amounts to probably not less than £1 per annum per head of the urban population." —Dr R. Lessing, consulting chemist and engineer. " Midways between the two chief delinquents —the domestic chimney and the industrial chimney —was a third, the hotel chimney. It is very strange that those at seaside resorts who profit by the fact that visitors go to their town to enjoy clean air are the very ones to contaminate it." —Mr G. L. Jennings, a gas engineer. "We spend millions and employ brains to protect our food and water supplies, but little effort, money, or thought in protecting our atmosphere lrom° pollution."—Mr G. S. Francis.