SKY-SIGNS are the subject of special legislation and bye-laws in the county of London. Outside that area they come for the most part within the provisions of the general law, as in the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907 and the bye-laws thereunder. In this article the general law, applicable to the country outside London, will alone be noticed. By the statute just referred to the term ." sky-sign " means " any word, letter, model, sign, device, or repre sentation in the nature of an advertisement, announcement, or direction sup ported on or attached to any post, pole, sbtndard, framework, or other support wholly or in part upon, over, or above any house, building, or structure which, or any part of which, sky-sign shall be visible against the sky from some point in any street or public way, and includes all and every part of any such post, pole, standard, framework, or other support." It also includes—Any balloon, parachute, or other similar device employed wholly or in part for the purposes of any advertisenfept or announcement on, over, or above any house, building, structure, or erection of any kind, or on or over any street or public way. It does .not, however, include—(a) Any flagstaff, pole, vane, or weathercock unless adapted or used wpolly or in part for any advertisement or announcement ; (b) Any sign or any board, frame, or other contrivance securely fixed to or on the top of the wall or parapet of any building, or on the cornice or blocking course of any wall, or to the ridge of a roof ; provided that such board, frame, or other contrivance be of one continuous face and not open work, and do not extend in height more than three feet above any part of the wall or parapet or ridge to, against, or on which it is fixed or supported ; (c) Any word, letter, model, sign, device, or representation as aforesaid relating exclusively to the business of a railway or canal company, and placed wholly upon or over any railway, canal, railway station, wharf, quay, yard, platform, or station or wharf or quay approach belonging to a railway or canal company, and so placed that it cannot fall into any street or public place.
It is lawful to erect, or fix to, upon, or in connection with a buildink or erection a sky-sign, only with the license of the local authority. And such a license becomes void—(i) If any addition to the sign be made except,, for the purpose of making it secure under the direction of the surveyor ; (ii) If any change be made in the sign or any part thereof ; (iii) If the sign or any part thereof fall either through accident, decay, or any other cause ; (iv) If any addition or alteration be made to or in the house, building, or structure on, over, or to whivh the sign is placed or attached if such addition or alteration involves the disturbance of the sign or any part thereof ; or (v) If the house, building, or structure over, on, or to which the sign is placed or attached become unoccupied or be demolished or destroyed. A sky-sign unlawfully in position may be removed as a nuisance by the local authority. There is a penalty for keeping an unlicensed sky-sign. See ADVER ISEMENTS.