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Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949.
Work of the Rodent Control Section may be divided into
treatments of Contributory Scheme premises, work in dwelling
houses and Sewer Maintenance treatments.
Contributory Scheme for Rodent Control. This work was
first started in June, 1943, by direction of the Ministry of
Food (Infestation Division), in the waterside food storage
and food manufacturing premises. As experience was gained
and labour became available, its service was extended over
all the Borough and catered for all types of premises.
The methods and techniques approved by the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, Infestation Division, are used and
that Division's officers inspect premises treated at frequent
intervals. No major criticisms of work carried out or of
infestation levels were received during the year The officers
of the Borough Council and those of the Ministry work
in close co-operation at all times, and this, together with
the skilled work of the operatives, has resulted in new low
levels of infestation being constantly achieved.
Since half the Borough boundary is riparian in character
and in view of the immense volume of goods carried by river
and canal, it is extremely doubtful if the rat menace will
ever be completely eliminated in this and other similarly
situated metropolitan boroughs. Conditions now however, are
greatly improved; in 1945, 12 infestations each exceeding
100 rats were encountered; in 1952, the heaviest infestation
was one of 12 rats.
As in the previous 4 years, the emphasis in the year's
work under review has been on the eradication of mice in all
types of premises. By the use of blood anti-coagulent agents
this type of infestation is at least being controlled, and
the only reservoirs or major infestations of mice, as with
rats, are in food storage premises where the size of the
stacks and the nature of the foods make it possible for
rodents to live their lives within the stacks. Throughout
the year it has been observed that the storage life of goods
21.