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33
RODENT CONTROL — MAINTENANCE OF SEWERS
Under the terms of Local Authority Circular N.S.19 issued by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, two treatments were carried out
for the fiscal year 1949/50 and details are as follows:—
First Treatment (No. 11).
This was carried out as follows:
Pre-Baiting 5th and 7th June, 1950
Poison Baiting 8th June, 1950
Check of Poison Bait 9th June, 1950
261 Manholes were baited and of these 244 showed "takes" of pre-bait.
The estimated kill based on the "takes" of poison bait was 1,430.
Second Treatment (No. 12).
This was carried out as follows:
Pre-Baiting 4th and 5th December, 1950
Poison Baiting 6th December, 1950
Check of Poison Bait 7th December, 1950
270 Manholes were baited and 254 showed "takes" of pre-bait. The
estimated kill based on "takes" of poison bait was 1,625.
The estimated kills for the last four sewer treatments carried out during
1949/50 were:—
No.9 965
No.10 1,395
No.1 1,430
No.12 1,625
It will be seen that there is a slight rise in the figures and whilst the
treatment must have a salutary effect in destroying the rats at the source,
the present system of six monthly baiting can never hope to achieve a
complete disinfestation.
RATS AND MICE
During the year 247 complaints of rats and 102 complaints of mice
were received. These figures show an increase of 7 rat complaints and a
decrease of 32 mice complaints over the previous year.
RODENT CONTROL
Energetic measures for rodent control continued throughout the
year, the system followed being that of pre-baiting laid down by the
Ministrv of Agriculture and Fisheries.