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free from rats and mice. This includes Parks, Recreation Grounds,
Schools and Public Buildings and all sewers vested in the local
authority.
It is not widely known; but it is the duty of the occupier or
owner of any premises to notify the local authority of the presence
of rats or mice on land that they occupy and it is in fact the responsibility
of the occupier to take steps to rid their premises of these pests.
This Council has however provided a service for this purpose
over a number of years, and one Rodent Operative is employed in
the Health Department. The operative is provided with a van and
the necessary equipment to trace and deal with all forms of infestation.
This service is provided free to all ratepayers in the district.
During the past year 428 notifications were received of infestations
and the Public Health Inspectors and Rodent Operative
carried out 6,557 inspections and reinspections of premises and all
nccessary measures were taken to eradicate the rats and mice.
Regular routine inspections are made of all Parks, Recreation
Grounds and Schools and disinfestation is carried out when
necessary.
Considerable thought has to be given to the right type of
poison to be used, and after much experience it is considered that the
most satisfactory and economical poison to use is that commonly
known as "Warfarin." This poison has the approval of the Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and has the following
advantages:—
It is reasonably safe as far as humans and domestic animals are
concerned, it is not necessary to use pre-baits, therefore the first
baits contain poison and much time is saved.
There are two specific ways that members of the public encourage
rats and mice, to which specific attention shot be drawn.
The first of these is the frequent practice of the public in
throwing large quantities of bread out to feed birds. Instances have
been found where large slices of bread have been thrown onto lawns,
these are far too large for birds to consume or carry away and supply
plenty of food for rats and mice. If people desire to feed birds, the
bread should be broken up fine and placed on a bird table.
The second point is the placing of sheds and chicken houses too
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