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The Council's sanitary inspectors are required to visit schools to
inform head teachers personally after inspecting homes from which school
children, suffering from notifiable infectious disease, have been removed
to hospital, and also to acquaint the teachers as to home contacts attending
the same school. This is in addition to the written intimation from
the Medical Officer of Health to the head teacher as required by law.
At three schools additions or improvements were made to the sanitary
arrangements during the year.
Fouling of Footways by Dogs—By-Jaw.—Thirteen cases of infringement
of the by-law were reported to the Council by the Commissioner of Police.
A prosecution was ordered in each instance except one where the offender
was a child. Convictions were obtained in nine cases, two were dismissed
on payment of 5s. costs, and one was dismissed with a caution.
The penalties inflicted varied from 5s. to 10s. and totalled, with costs,
£3 10s. 0d.
A number of complaints received of nuisance caused by dogs in
different parts of the city were investigated by the sanitary inspectors
but it was not found possible to obtain evidence of infringements of the
by-law. In such cases, arrangements are made with the cleansing
department to affix copies of the by-law in prominent positions in the
streets where complaints have arisen.
Rat Repression.—During the year 203 complaints were received and
investigated, and 392 inspections were made by the sanitary inspectors.
The Council's rat officer visited 120 premises for the purpose of investigation
and to advise owners and occupiers as to the steps to be taken to rid
premises of rats and to instruct them in measures of rat proofing. He paid
altogether 270 visits to these premises.
Many of those complaints involved detailed inspection of the premises
affected, for the purpose of tracing rat runs and drainage and other defects
likely to permit entry of rats. Rat infestation, particularly as regards
dwelling houses, generally arises through faulty drains or sewer connections.
At the request of the department, the City Engineer's staff
examined the sewer connections of some 458 premises, of which 58 were
found to be defective and were subsequently repaired or renewed. A number
of complaints related to invasion of premises by rats disturbed in the
course of demolition operations in adjoining properties. Appropriate action
was taken to ensure that disused drain openings on the sites were sealed
off and that accumulations of debris, &c., likely to provide harbourage for
rats were removed.