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72
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.
This Act, which became operative on the 1st January, 1920,
imposes on local authorities and occupiers of premises additional
responsibilities in connection with rat repression.

Drains were tested at 54 premises in connection with this
work, and in 26 cases were found to be defective. Most of these
defective drains were in private houses. The presence of rats
in houses is usually regarded as prima facie evidence of drain
defects. The work of the Rat Officer therefore is carried on in close
co-operation with that of the district Sanitary Inspectors.
The methods employed under the Rat Repression Scheme have
been described in previous Annual Reports. It is only necessary,
therefore, to state that as an inspection of the summarised figures
shows, the work done during the year under this head has been as
satisfactory as in previous years.
Fouling of Footways by Dogs.
The Council, in 1929, on the recommendation of the Health
Committee, decided to renew the following By-law with regard to
the fouling of public footways by dogs:—
"No person being in charge of a dog in any street or
public place and having the dog on a lead shall allow or permit
such dog to deposit its excrement upon the public footway.
Any person offending against this By-law shall be liable to
a penalty not exceeding 40s."
This By-law was originally made in 1927, and on the application
of the Council, the Home Secretary sanctioned the renewal
of the By-law.
No proceedings were taken under this By-law during the year.