View report page

220
Requests for special collections of unwanted furniture, etc.,
totalled 5,874.
(c) Public Conveniences
Following on the inception of the new system of manning, the
Works Committee decided to experiment with the opening, 24
hours per day throughout the week, of a number of conveniences.
Eight were chosen to start with and the result of the experiment
was such that a further number was included in the scheme. By
the end of the year, with very few exceptions, all conveniences
were open continuously.
(d) Unwanted Cars
During the year, 496 abandoned cars were cleared from the
roads; 611 were collected at their owners' request and 487 were
delivered by their owners to the Council's Depots."
Flies and Mosquitoes
During the year 96 complaints of flies were received, resulting
in treatments being carried out to 51 rooms and 68 external areas.
On request from the Borough and Greater London Council
Housing Departments, dust chutes and containers in the multistorey
flats are treated with Gammexane.
Disinfestation of Verminous Premises
Dieldren Concentrate continues to give good results in dealing
with verminous premises.
During the year the department dealt with 101 cases of dirty
and verminous premises, and the disinfestation staff sprayed 259
rooms and contents. In three cases the bedding and effects were
removed to the Council's disinfecting station for treatment by
steam or formaldehyde.
Of other pests which necessitated the treatment of rooms and
external areas, the following initiated the greater number of complaints.
Ants.—Ants carry no disease but their presence in human
foodstuffs is objectionable.
Foods of a relatively high sugar content are particularly attractive
to ants and the insects are prepared to go to great length in
order to obtain a sufficiency for their community.
In the main, the 142 complaints received concerned either the
black garden ant (Lasius niger) or the yellow meadow ant
(L. flavis), the workers of which will gain access to houses through
cracks in the walls or floors, over sills or through window frames