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MOSQUITOES- No complaint of the presence of biting mosquitoes was received
during the year. Culex molestus, the biting mosquito that caused so much annoyance
during 1939.-46, appears to have ceased to breed in the district. Householders,
gardeners and allotment holders can do much to discourage breeding of mosquitoes by
attending to ponds, waterbuts, liquid manure pits, etc.
DISINFESTATION- The Health Department deals with bug and other infestations in
houses and other premises, and for this purpose D.D.T. and other insecticides are
used. During the year, 117 rooms in 43 houses were treated, while 31 wasp nests
were destroyed, 6 premises cleared of cockroaches, one cleared of ants, and four of
other insects. Treatment of ponds and tanks to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes
was carried out as necessary,
NOISE NUISANCE In the Middlesex County Council Act a noise nuisance is deemed
to exist "where any person makes or continues or causes to be made or continued any
excessive or unreasonable or unnecessary noise which is injurious or dangerous to
health."Further, it is a good defence for the person charged to show " that he has
used the best practicable means of preventing or mitigating the nuisance, having
regard to the cost and to other relevant circumstances." Most complaints of noise
nuisance arise in connection with industrial processes carried on in factories
situated close to houses. From the above definition it will be seen that many
factors have to be taken into consideration in judging whether or not a noise is a
nuisance within the meaning of the Act, though there may be no doubt about the annoyance
to residents in the neighbourhood of the factory concerned. During the year,
complaints of nuisance due to noise were received in regard to three factories. Day
and night observations were made concerning these complaints and in conjunction with
the firms concerned, measures were taken to reduce the noise as far as was practic
able.
RATS AND MICE DESTRUCTION etc The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949,
places the responsibility on the Council to keep their area as far as practicable,
free from rats and mice!" and occupiers of premises are required to give notice when
they have knowledge that rats and mice are present in substantial numbers. It is
obligatory on the Council to recover the expenses reasonably incurred in taking steps
for the destruction of rats and mice on business premises, but permissive as far as
the cost of treating private dwellings is concerned. The Council has decided to
make no charge for the treatment of private dwelling-houses unless their is failure
on the part of the owner or occupier to co-operate in preventing infestation. The
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries may make to local authorities a grant equal to
one half of the expenditure incurred in the performance of their duties under the Act
so far as such expenditure has not been recovered.

Test baiting and where necessary, treatment is carried out to sewers, watercourses,
tips, etc. Destruction of part of the rat population by chemical or other
poisoning may increase the food supply and improve the chances of survival of the
remainder. Eradication requires environmental conditions which hinder survival,
i.e., no food and no shelter and occupiers of premises should bear this in mind.
SHOPS ACT , 1950, SECTION 38 = Shops require to be reasonably ventilated,
heated and lighted, and there should be suitable and sufficient sanitary and washing
facilities for the persons employed therein. In this connection 30 inspections
were made during the year.
One certificate of exemption re provision of sanitary accommodation was grantee.
RAG FLOCK AND OTHER FILLING MATERIALS ACT , 1951- This Act is designed to
ensure that filling materials used in upholstery, etc., comply with prescribed
conditions of cleanliness. Premises using filling materials have to be registere
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