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The inspection of food (other than meat) is carried out as necessary.
As may be seen from the Table of foods during the year, a total
amount of over 16 cwts. of food of various types was condemned as
unfit for human consumption.
Co-operation between this office and the retailers of food continues
to be extremely good and no difficulties have been experienced
in this connection.
INFESTATIONS
Rodent Control
During the year 428 complaints of rats and mice have been received.
All of these premises were visited and in addition premises
on which the infestations may have arose or which may have been
affected were also visited, in consequence some 716 properties received
visits during the year and it was found that 473 of these were infested
with rats or mice. All the infestations were dealt with by the Rodent
Operator. The number of complaints received have considerably
increased over the year.
The majority of the infestations treated during the year have been
of a minor character and treatments have in general been successful.
In a few cases difficulty has been experienced, but by re-treatment
and variations of both poisoning and bait satisfactory results have
been obtained.
The usual poisons, warfarin, zinc phosphide, arsenic and red
squill have been employed in the majority of cases.
In accordance with the requirements of the Rodent Control
Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, two
treatments of the sewers were made. The first in April being a
maintenance treatment and the second in November being the
annual 10 per cent. test of the sewer manholes, followed by a treatment
based on the results of the test.
The maintenance treatment of the sewers which was carried out
in April consisted of prebaiting 35 manholes with sausage rusk.
These manholes being those which showed "takes" at previous
treatments, with the addition of manholes in the immediate vicinity.
Of the manholes prebaited 13 showed "takes," these were subsequently
poison baited with sausage rusk and zinc phosphide. Two
days after laying the poison it was found that in 13 cases the bait
had been partially consumed.
During the annual 10 per cent. test of the sewer manholes in
November 170 manholes were baited with damp sausage rusk,
and on an inspection being made two days later in 12 cases the bait
had been taken. This test was followed by a treatment in which 49
manholes were pre-baited, consisting of those in which bait was
partially or completely taken and those in the immediate vicinity.
Thirty-one of these manholes showed "takes", these being poison
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