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Vessels reported to have been fumigated at places abroad and during the
voyage, 284.
Lethal gas used:—
S02 213
CO2CO 26
Hydrocyanic acid gas 26
s.s "C." was going from B. to N. and therefore had to be fumigated. It is
credibly reported to the Inspector of this Authority that the ship's cat came mewing
out of the hold on opening out after fumigation. In another case two small tins of
sulphur in each hold met requirements at the port of C. This illustrates:—
I.—The necessities of certificates of fumigation stating the exact procedure
followed. The mere statement of fumigation having been carried out at any port
conveys no guarantee of disinfestation in the absence of such a certificate.
II.—The tendency to farce in routine fumigation.
RAT AND MICE DESTRUCTION ACT.
The Act is of value to the Port Sanitary Authority in that ft embodies all the
principles of the Ministry of Food Rat Order, as amended in 1919 in accordance with
the request of the Port of London Sanitary Authority, and renders these statutory and
permanent.
The following is a short analysis of this Act
Section I.—Necessary and reasonably practicable steps must be taken on owner or occupier
for preventing land from becoming infected. The penalty for failure is 201.
Section 11.—(1) The Port Sanitary Authority enforces this Act in its district. The only
exception in the jurisdiction being the London County Council sludge boats.
(2) The expenses incurred shall be defrayed in the case of the Port Sanitary Authority
as part of the expenses of the Port Sanitary Authority.
Section III.—(1) The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries steps in on the failure of an
Authority to enforce the Act, empowering, by order, some other Authority to enforce it.
(2) The expenses so incurred by the Ubard are to be paid by the Authority in default.
(3) The Board's statement in an order, that the Authority has failed to enforce the Act,
is " Conclusive evidence of such default."
Section IV.—The Local Authority enforcing the Act may by public notice within its area
give instructions as to the most effective methods of destruction.
Section V.—(1) The Local Authority, on failure of the occupier to carry out Section I., may
either—
(a) Serve a notice requiring steps to be taken as prescribed in the notice.
(b) Enter on the land after twenty-four hours' previous notice to the occupier and
take such steps as are necessary, and may recover any reasonable expenses
summarily as a civil debt.
(2) Collective action is to be secured as far as possible in enforcing paragraph 1.
(3) The powers of a Local Authority may be exercised by any committee of the Local
Authority to which the exercise of the powers may be delegated.
(4) Any person authorised in writing by a Local Authority may enter any land of the
district to inspect, or enforce the Act. If so required such person must produce the document
by which he is authorised.
(5) Obstruction incurs a fine not exceeding 201.
Section VI.—(1) This Act applies to a vessel as if the vessel were land. The Master is the
occupier.
(2) The Local Authority may by notice served on the Master require him to take necessary
and reasonably practicable steps for preventing escape of rats from ship to shore under a
201, penalty.
Section VII.—(1) Regulates prosecutions.
(2) Notices in any proceedings under the Act are signed by the Clerk of the Local
Authority.
Section VIII.—The expression "Occupier" means, in the case of land not occupied by a
tenant, the owner.
The expression "Land" includes buildings and any other erection and any cellar, sewer,
drain or culvert.
Section IX.—Applies to Scotland and Ireland.
Section X.—Saves all existing powers, to which the Act is in addition and not in derogation.
Section I.—Notices may be served personally or by registered post.
Section XII.—The short title of the Act—Rat and Mice Destruction Act, 1919.
The expenses of the Port Sanitary Authority, the Local Authority in the carrying
out of this Act, are included in and covered by those of their customary work.
As Inspectors for the purposes of this Act your Sanitary Inspectors can hardly be
bettered. It has always been one of their most important duties to inquire into the