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Drainage.
Pour cesspools and ten pail closets were abolished
during the year leaving 61 cesspools and 33 pail closets
still in use, In approximately half of these cases a sewer
is available within a reasonable distance or likely to be •
come available in the near future. The Council make a 50%
contribution the maximum grant permissible under Section
47 of the Public Health Act 1936, where owners of premises
provide a water closet in place of a pail closet and are
also prepared to undertake the work of connecting the drains
to the sewer from premises with cesspools, if the owners
agree to pay half the cost. Pail closets and cesspools
are emptied regularly by the Engineer and Surveyors De
partment.
The practice of clearing stopped drains free'of charge
was continued and nuisances from this cause thereby reduced
to a minimum.
Keeping of Animals.
Byelaws under Section 81 of the Public Health Act to
control the keeping of pigs horses and cattle are in force.
The byelaws deal with the structural condition and cleanliness
of premises in which these animals are kept, the
storage of manure, boiling of swill, drainage etc , and
have proved of considerable assistance to the Public Health
Inspectors in their efforts to minimise nuisances from this
source. In view of the suspicion which has fallen on flies
in the spread of poliomyelitis these additional powers of
control over premises which are particularly liable to in
festation are useful and necessary.
Uodent Control.
Treatment at dwelling houses is carried out free, but
a charge based on the cost of labour and materials is made
for treatment at business and industrial premises. All
complaints are investigated by the Public Health Inspectors
before treatment is carried out in order to find out whether
the infestation is the result of defective drains, accu
mulations of refuse, improper keeping of animals etc.
Ditches, undeveloped sites, rubbish dumps and other places
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