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59
The following report was submitted by the Inspectors, Messrs. I. M. G.
Farries and C. H. Medland:—
The completion of re-flooring work in Council premises in the early
part of the year resulted in fewer vacancies occurring in Council tenements
throughout the rest of the year, as many premises were previously vacated
for re-flooring work to be carried out. In consequence, less opportunities
occurred for thorough inspections to be made and fewer premises were
found to be infested as compared with previous years.
Of the vacant premises inspected, there was, however, an increase
in the proportion of those found to be free from infestation, and, even
among those premises found to be infested, the degree of infestation
tended to be less severe. This general tendency towards improvement
is probably due, not only to actual fumigation work carried out, but
also to the abolition of unnecessary woodwork, the replacement of wooden
casing for electric wiring with metal tubing, and the comparatively
bug-Proof nature of the more modern flats.
Nevertheless, even the most up-to-date flats can easily become
infested by the importation of bug-infested furniture, and, for this reason,
the furniture all prospective Council tenants, or of tenants transferring
from one Council tenement to another, is inspected a few days prior to
the date of removal in order to ascertain if any treatment is necessary.
Slight infestations are dealt with by spraying the furniture, with or
without steam disinfestation of bedding, and severe infestations by HCN
fumigation of the furniture in vans during transit to Council houses
and team disinfestation of bedding.
A danger less easily overcome is the importation of bug-infested
second-hand furniture some time after the date of removal to Council
tenements, and little can be done to prevent this happening beyond
warning Council tenants of the possible consequences of such a practice.
Fortunately, the majority of tenants seem to appreciate the freedom from
bugs experienced following HCN fumigation of their furniture and
apparently exercise more care in buying second-hand furniture after
becoming Council tenants.
Many of the Council removals carried out were transfers for the
purpose of abating overcrowding in Council property, and the proportion
removals is increasing as this work is proceeded with. Naturally,