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24 hours' notice. In general, the individual owner or occupier
has the right to carry out such treatment or work as the local
authority may prescribe by written notice, and the local
authority can only deal with the' matter themselves if the
person upon whom the notice was served defaults. An
important and necessary exception is made, however, where
rats and mice are present in substantial numbers in a group
of separately occupied premises in a block.
In such an instance, the local authority is empowered to
take necessary or expedient steps to deal with the infestation
themselves, after giving seven days' notice of their intention
and a further 24 hours' notice before entry is made.
The Act does not prevent the Council from continuing the
practice of carrying out free treatment for the destruction of
rats and mice in private dwelling-houses with the occupier's
consent and the Minister has stated that expenditure thereby
incurred will rank for grant. The main advantage of the new
Act, therefore, is the power to require an owner to carry out
reasonable structural repairs or other works necessary for
keeping premises free from rats and mice.
Under Section 2(2) of the Act every local authority shall
keep such records and make such reports relating to their
functions under the Act as may be required by any direction
given by the Minister.

HOUSING.
851 enquiries regarding re-housing were received in the
department during the year. 439 families were found upon
investigation to be living in overcrowded conditions, and
particulars of this overcrowding were passed to the Housing
Department for transmission to the London County Council.
35 cases were recommended for re-housing on grounds of
health, tuberculosis, inadequate hygienic facilities for the