View report page

14
of this success it has been decided to reduce expenditure on poisons and to spend
the money thus saved on a larger supply of break-back traps, which conceivably
provide a more humane method of destruction.
While the presence of the rat constitutes an important health—and economic
—problem with which the Department is constantly dealing, this one week in the
year devoted specially to the problem affords an opportunity of reviewing the
situation in the Borough, of broadcasting the powers of the local authority and
the responsibilities of the people themselves in the matter, and of altering old
methods of rat destruction and devising new ones in the light of experience gained
by the Department in this particular branch of public health work.
Pigeons.
In relation to the nuisances caused by these birds, the Borough Council was not
given what may be called an official position until after the coming into operation of
Sec. 52 of the L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1927. In this section the Council
was empowered to seize and destroy, sell, or otherwise dispose of, or cause to be
seized, etc., house doves or pigeons in excessive numbers, if they believe them to be
without an owner. Six compaints were made in 1934 as against seven in 1933,
relating to business premises (in one case), and private dwellings (five). As in
other years, as much assistance as possible was given by the inspector in charge of
this work to reduce the nuisance.
Fouling of Footways by Dogs.
In enforcing the provisions of the bye-law with regard to this matter, great
assistance was obtained from the police, 13 prosecutions undertaken being on the
reports of police officers. In 11 cases the defendant pleaded guilty, and the fines
imposed amounted to £3 4s. 6d. In one case the summons was dismissed and in
another the summons was not served. Including these cases the total number of
prosecutions since the bye-law came into operation in 1928 is 40, the amount of
fines imposed being £16 4s. 6d.
PREMISES AND OCCUPATIONS CONTROLLED BY BY-LAWS
AND REGULATIONS.
The following list sets out the majority of the premises and occupations of the
class referred to in the heading to this part of the report, and contains a certain
amount of information with regard to registration, inspection, etc. Underground