View report page

31
Dangerous Structures,
Information was forwarded to the District Surveyor on 95
occasions during the year of the presence of structures which
were considered to be dangerous to life or limb.
Rodent Control
During the year 1956, 909 complaints have been investigated,
Of these 668 were found to be brown (common) rats, no black
(ship) rats 168 mice and 73 were found to be not justified,
926 baitings were carried out and in 139 cases defective or
disused drains were found to be the cause of infestations and
were dealt with by the Borough Engineer and the Public Health
Inspectors, No major infestations have come to light during the
year. In no case has the infestation been of a serious character.
Inspections 1,177
Revisits 1 252
Notices served 34
Sewer treatment with poison was carried out by the Borough
Engineer's department during the year in conjunction with the
Rodent Officer and his staff.
Disinfection and Disinfestation
2817 rooms and 17 507 articles of bedding and clothing were
dealt with during the year among them being the rooms and
articles used by the 510 cases of various forms of infectious
disease taken tohospital; 186 certificates of disinfection were
issued and 185 library books dealt with from the 4 408 premises
visited during the year,
206 houses were treated for bed bugs and in them 607 separate
rooms were sprayed with Vermacine a preparation of 5 per cent.
D. D. T. withPyrethrum as a 'Knockout'. It was necessary to treat
39 houses a second time,
There weremany complaints during the year of insect infesta
tions. The usual offenders were wood boring beetles psocids,
ants, cockroaches drug store beetles, carpet beetles clothes
moths, weevils, clover mites and silver fish.
Clover mite infestation on new housing estates has been
difficult to eradicate although some measure of control has been
achieved. It would seem that the mite is imported in the turves
which are used when the spaces around the blocks are laid out.
Close oontact hasbeen maintained with the Ministry of Agriculture
Fisheries and Food in the campaign against these pests.