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Rat and Mouse Repression.
The service offered by the Council to assist householders, free of
charge, to reduce infestation in their properties, continued during
1950 ; and many business premises were serviced, a charge being made.
The Council works at the Direction of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries in this matter, and the work has come to assume quite
large proportions, both practically and administratively, in the Department.
I am glad to be able to report that in the vast majority of rat
infestations in private houses, the nuisance was confined to the gardens
of the properties.
There was a considerable increase in the number of complaints of
mice. This, I find from my colleagues in other areas, is general.
753 complaints were received during the year and the rodent staff paid
5,315 visits to premises. It is impossible to give any idea of the number
of rats and mice destroyed, but the measure of control exercised over the
problem was completely satisfactory.
In addition to our work against the "surface" rat, the sewers
serving the Borough are serviced twice annually, in accordance with
Ministerial Direction, to destroy rats in sewers. This work has proceeded,
and the evidence available is satisfactory in that it proves that
infestation of the sewers is kept at a minimum.
Ice Cream Manufacture and Sale.
Whereas in 1949, seven local tradesmen manufactured and sold
their own ice cream, this number was, in 1950, reduced to three, the
remainder obtaining their supplies from manufacturers outside the
Borough. Thirty nine samples of ice cream were obtained during the
year, and submitted for bacteriological examination. In no case were
pathogenic organisms isolated from the samples. A very full report
on this subject was included in the Annual Report for 1949, and there
has been no further development calling for special report here.
Factories Act, 1937.
Two hundred and twenty two visits of inspection were made
to factories in the area. The following nuisances were remedied following
the service of informal notices:—
Want of cleanliness 4
Insufficient sanitary accommodation 1
Unsuitable or defective sanitary accommodation 8
Sanitary accommodation not separate for the sexes 2
Water Supply.
The water supply of the area has been satisfactory in quality and
quantity, the Metropolitan Water Board supplying all properties in the
area by main.
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