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Details of the proposed area were submitted to the Council and
the matter was still under consideration at the end of the year.
The number of complaints received by the department during 1957
in respect of smoke nuisances was 22. All these were investigated.
The Public Health Inspectors made a total of 590 timed observations on
industrial chimneys, in addition to keeping a general watch on smoke
emission from boilers.
Written intimation notices were sent to 5 firms whose chimneys
were emitting smoke in such quantities as to be a nuisance.
Air pollution from industrial chimneys appears to have lessened
during the year as a result 'of improvements to boiler plants carried
out by firms and other institutions in the main because of pressure
by officers of the department.
The Council continues to co-operate with the Department of
Scientific & Industrial Research in the daily measurement of the amount
of smoke and free sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere and the monthly
measurement of deposits and sulphur dioxide content by the lead peroxide
method.
Verminous Premises and Articles
The Disinfestation Service provides for the eradication of insect
pests, viz., ants, bugs, fleas (human and animal) cockroaches,
beetles, moths, steam flies and other insects. During 1957 419 premises were found or suspected to be verminous and disinfestation mea
sures were carried out.
Similar measures have been carried out on certain other occasions
on request. In all, disinfestation measures were carried out in
515 premises.
The usual method employed being the use of a spray with a 5 per
cent. solution of D.D.T. to leave a residual film this is repeated
after 14 days if on re-inspection it appears desirable. Whenever
considered necessary bedding is also removed for steam disinfection.
As a routine measure for the control of vermin disinfestation is
carried out in the case of tenants moving into the Council" s Housing
Estates (other than Post War Estates), or requisitioned property.
The normal routine is for the old accommodation of the prospective
tenant to be sprayed with a D.D.T. Solution some days before the removal
and at the same time for the proposed new accommodation to be
treated in the same way. On the day of removal bedding is collected
from the old address, steam disinfested in the Council's ovens, and