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36
Shops Act, 1934.
Owing to certain re-organisation of the duties of the Sanitary Inspectors, visits
paid under the Shops Act are made by the same officer and at the same time as visits
necessary under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, etc.,
Number of Inspections under this Act 169
Number of re-visits 97
Rats and Mice Destruction Act, 1919.
Infestation Order, 1943.
During the year under review the expenses incurred in respect of the work carried
out by the Rodent Control Section continued to rank for the 50 per cent. grant from
the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. In July the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act, 1949, received royal assent, although this statute does not come into
force until 31st March, 1950.
Details of the work performed are given as follows:—
1. Number of complaints received 1,499
2. Number of investigations carried out 5,720
3. Number of infestations found 2,099
(comprising 189 Business premises and 1,910 Dwellings)
4. Number of smoke tests on drains 151
Treatments carried out were:—
Dwellings 1,910 with 12,943 baits being laid
Business Premises 67 with 603 baits being laid
Post bait treatments in respect of dwellings and
business premises 462 with 4,313 baits being laid
2,439 17.859
Bombed sites. Test baited only.
The number of agreements sent out 84
The number of agreements returned 70
Percentage of Ship Rats : 1½ per cent. of complaints received.
It will be noted that many business firms did not avail themselves of the Council's
facilities but, in these cases, their own staff, or a specialist firm, was engaged to
carry out disinfestation. In such instances the treatments were followed up in order
to ensure that they were satisfactory.
Whilst many cases of rat infestation present no difficulty and, after treatment
being carried out, the premises are cleared of rats, others require considerable carc
and attention. This is particularly so where disused drains exist in respect of which
no records can be traced. One such case is still under observation. In another
instance it was necessary for 41 visits to be paid, where it was eventually found
that the source of the trouble was an old brick barrel drain, reconstruction of which
resulted in the premises being rat free.
One of the hospitals in the Borough was successfully treated in respect of a
heavy infestation of mice.
An infestation of rats occurred in one portion of the Council's Cemetery at East
Finchley. This was successfully dealt with conjointly with the Officials of the
Finchley Borough Council and eventually cleared,