View report page

93
Tuberculosis in Meat.
Generalised. Localised.
Bovine carcases 0.3% 4%
Pig carcases 1% 10%
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.—The attitude
of the majority of butchers towards these Regulations is still far
from satisfactory. The reason is that the Regulations are framed
in such a way as to give rise to much diversity of opinion as to their
meaning and application.
In order that meat shall be kept clean and free from flies, the
provision of glass fronts should be made compulsory to all butchers'
shops, and meat stalls out in the open should be prohibited.
Legislation is also urgently needed requiring all articles of
food to be properly and effectively protected from dirt and contamination
by flies.
Many visits and inspections have been made to this class of
shoj) and stall, and one firm were reported to the Council for not
taking steps to protect their meat, the meat being found to be very
dirty. Proceedings were pending at the close of the year.
Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894-1927.
Forty-three movement licences regarding the movement of
473 cattle, 1,413 sheep and 1,606 pigs were issued during the year
under the Foot and Mouth Disease (Regulation of Movement
Order), 1933, following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease
over a large part of the country in the early part of the year.
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.
Three hundred and fifteen visits have been made to premises
in connection with complaints of rats, and rat biscuits have been
issued to 314 occupiers of premises.
During National Rat Week the recommendations of the Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries were again observed, and posters
exhibited calling attention of residents to the provisions of the
Act. Bait was laid in the man-holes of sewers throughout the
town with successful results.
It is very doubtful whether any useful practical purpose is
served by holding a Rat Week, in view of the fact that steps are
taken regularly during the year to deal with this menace.