View report page

84
KITCHENS OF RESTAURANTS (WASHING ACCOMMODATION)*
During the year special attention has been given to the question of the provision of
washing facilities for persons engaged in the handling of food at these places.
In a number of industries accommodation is required by statute to be provided, but in
the case of kitchens of restaurants no such requirement exists. In 61 instances, however,
representations having been made, such accommodation was provided voluntarily.
RAT REPRESSION.
The table set out on page 86 indicates the number of investigations and inspections
made, and details of work carried out, under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919,
during the year ended December 31st, 1925. From this summary it will be seen that 1,135
buildings, occupied by 4,100 firms, were inspected. Of these, 391 were found to be rat infested.
One or other of the ratcatchers, working in the City, was engaged by business firms
in 158 instances; poisons were laid down and traps of the break-back variety were used in
704 instances, and wire traps in 121. Varnish traps, which were used in special circumstances,
were relied upon in 243 buildings. Cats and dogs were found to be kept by 160 firms. Complaints
have been received at the office, or applications for advice, in 131 instances.
The work done in addition to poisons and traps, and the keeping of rodent-destroying
animals, included rat proofing in 365 instances, and the repair of drainage defects in 489
others. In this relationship it should be stated that rat proofing cannot be relied upon,
absolutely, to exclude rodents from buildings, for reasons I have pointed out from time to
time, e.g., the importation of rats into buildings in cases and crates from the Docks, and ingress
through open doors and windows, especially through roof doors, provided for exit in case of
fire. The value of properly carried out rat proofing should not be under-estimated for, by this
means, food is protected, the domestic water supply is guarded, fire risk is lessened, insanitary
defects are remedied which might otherwise remain undiscovered, and rats are more easily
reduced in numbers, since hiding places are eliminated, and absence of hiding places results
in a decrease of the rat population.
I have pointed out, in previous reports, that the construction of many City buildings is
such as to render rat proofing practically impossible, and further, that the owners who are
the only persons competent to deal structurally with the buildings are not responsible under
the Act. A large number of old buildings have been demolished throughout the City, during
the year, and in the course of demolition, numbers of rats, which were disturbed, found harbourage
in neighbouring buildings, many of which had not been previously infested.
Mr. Engineer informs me that, during the year, the following sewerage and drainage
works, all of which tended to reduce the number of breeding places for rats, were carried out
by his department:—
Pipe sewers re-constructed 2
Pipe sewers in course of re-construction 2
Pipe sewers substituted for old brick sewers 1
Brick sewers re-inverted 4
Brick sewers in course of being re-inverted 3
Brick sewers re-constructed 1
Brick sewers in course of re-construction 1
Disused sewers filled in 4
New drains constructed in connection with new buildings 40
Drains of existing buildings re-constructed 109
New gulley drains constructed 2
Gulley drains re-constructed 32
Disused drains blocked up 126
Amount of poison used in the sewers during the year 56 lbs.
No. of rats killed in sewers not including those which died from poisoning. 2,342
The number of drains reconstructed, carried out under the supervision of the inspectors
attached to my own department, is set out on page 86.
It was not found necessary, in any case, either to serve Statutory Notices, or to take
legal proceedings.
I am indebted to Messrs. Dalton & Sons, professional rat-catchers, for the information
that, during the year, they caught 24,965 rats in the City.
National Rat Week.—National rat week began this year on November 2nd, and in accordance
with the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, a special effort was made by the
Department to induce the City residents to concentrate on rat destruction during the week