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82
RODENT CONTROL
General.—During the year the Rodent Control Scheme, as
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has
continued, although with the introduction in 1959 of "block" grants
to local authorities, direct financial assistance by the government to
this service ceased.
Of a total of 629 recorded complaints (437 of rats and 192 of
mice), 419 were notifications, 44 re-notifications from occupiers or
other sources and 166 were found during survey. The monthly
average of complaints from all sources was 52 as compared with a
figure of 61 for the previous year.
In addition to the investigations of recorded complaints, 1,143
other surveys were carried out under the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act, 1949, giving a grand total of 1,772.
During investigations, infestation was found to exist on 7
occasions in local authority's premises, 376 in dwelling houses and
137 in miscellaneous properties and places of business. Of these,
one major infestation of mice was disclosed in a dwelling house.
In all, some 544 treatments were effected by the local authority and
9 by occupiers or other services.
Notwithstanding the fact that large industrial firms are inclined
to make contracts with servicing companies, periodical treatments
were carried out at 11 industrial premises, 5 wharves and storage
places and at 3 hospitals in the Borough.
Following the policy of tracing the source of each infestation,
16 defective drainage systems were discovered. In these instances
Intimation Notices were served under the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936, and the drainage defects made good by the owners of
the various properties concerned.
Calls were made on the services of the Borough Engineer's staff
to enter sewers during colour-tests or in the tracing of disused drains
and also to the lifting of paving to locate sources of infestation ;
these services were readily available.
Occupiers of business premises and also householders readily
report any known or suspected infestation, and the value of routine
investigation made in these properties is emphasised by the fact
that it is rare to find occupiers tolerating infestation after being made
aware of the service available under the Rodent Control scheme.