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23
Number of premises where concreting of basement floors has
been carried out under the direction of sanitary inspectors
to prevent the ingress of rats... ... ... ... ... 13
Number of premises where other repairs have been carried
out under the direction of sanitary inspectors to prevent
the ingress of rats 40
Number of sewer defects allowing egress of rats made good 11
Number of premises cleared of rats 137
In contrast to previous years, the prevalence of rats in 1937 was more marked in the southern
part of the borough than in the northern. In the last year or two a considerable amount of old
property in South Kensington has been demolished, and large buildings erected on the cleared sites.
The consequent disturbance of sewers, drains, etc., has been partly responsible for the trouble
experienced.
The various firms concerned took steps in all cases to combat the rat menace.
During the National Rat Week, held in November, special measures of rat destruction were
put in hand in the borough council sewers, at the borough council depots and on railway and canal
property in the borough. Forty dead rats were found in sewers, 12 rats were destroyed at Wood
Lane depot and 18 rats and mice were killed in private premises.
Nuisances from Pigeons.
: Section 121 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, provides that for the purpose of abating
any nuisance caused by pigeons, the council may seize and destroy those in excess of such number
as may be considered reasonable. It is necessary, however, in the first place for the council to
obtain consent to the measures adopted by them from owners of any land on which it is proposed
to catch and destroy the birds. The number trapped during last year was 125.
Pigeons commonly use the interiors of church towers as roosting places, and with a view to
depriving wild pigeons of their homes in Kensington, the openings to all church towers and steeples
in the borough known in the past to harbour pigeons have now been wired up.
Although some improvement has been secured by the work of the council's officers, the
nuisance from pigeons still persists in certain parts of the borough. The birds, most of which roost
outside Kensington, come into the borough to feed, and are encouraged to do this by a comparatively
small number of persons who continue to place scraps and bread for them in the roadway, on window
sills, etc. The council have endeavoured to obtain appropriate legislation to enable them to control
this indiscriminate feeding of wild pigeons, but have not been successful.
Since the council first started to deal with this problem in 1929, 2,082 pigeons have been
destroyed.
Fouling of Footpaths by Dogs.
It was in 1921 that the council, after prolonged negotiations, succeeded in obtaining a by-law
enabling them to deal with the fouling of footpaths by dogs. Modifications of the original by-law
have been made in the intervening years, culminating in the present one which was sanctioned
by the Home Office in 1936. This by-law differs from any previous one inasmuch as it applies in
the case of a dog either on or off the lead. There is, however, a proviso to the effect that a person
shall not be liable to be convicted if he satisfies the Court that the fouling by the dog was not due
to culpable neglect or default by the person in charge.
During the year under review it was thought that if an extensive campaign was waged for a limited
period, some improvement in the condition of the streets of the borough might result. Arrangements
were made for eighteen officers of the public health department and a similar number from
the borough engineer's department to patrol the streets of the Earls Court and Holland Wards
each morning from 7.45 to 9 throughout one week. Only twelve offences in all were detected. The
opinion was formed by those on the patrol that much of the fouling of the footways which takes
place in the early morning is caused by dogs allowed out of doors unattended.
A further campaign for one week was carried out in the early summer, each evening from
9.30 to 10.30. The streets in the same two wards were patrolled, and four offences were detected.
As in previous years, the attention of the public was drawn to the by-law by means of handbills,
posters and notices posted on lamp-posts and sandbins.
Although some improvement in the condition of the streets has been secured, there is room for
more. The council have obtained the most stringent by-law the Home Office will approve, and their
officers make every effort to see that it is observed. It remains, therefore, for the residents of the
borough to co-operate more closely with the council in order to bring about that condition of the
streets that all must desire.
During the year 46 summonses were issued in respect of offences. Fines totalling £20 7s. 6d. were
imposed in 44 cases, and the summons was dismissed in two cases.