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Occupiers of non-agricultural land, which includes buildings, are to give notice
to the Local Authority of the presence of rats and mice in substantial numbers
and penalties may be incurred for failure to give notice.
Local Authorities are empowered to serve notice on owners or occupiers of any
land, requiring destruction of rats and mice and the notice may specify forms of
treatment and any structural repairs or other works required to be effected. There
is a right of appeal against the notice to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction. Groups
of premises may be given treatment as a unit, and the Local Authority may recover
the cost from the several occupiers.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries is empowered to make regulations in
connection with the threshing or dismantling of ricks to ensure the destruction
of rats or mice escaping therefrom.
For the purpose of fulfilling their functions under Part I of the Act, the Local
Authority is empowered to require information from the occupiers of any land as
to interests in that land and failure to provide such information on request is subject
to penalty.
Expenditure incurred by Local Authorities may be met by grants by the Minister
with the consent of the Treasury up to one-half of such expenditure so far as not
otherwise recovered under the Act.
Businesses dealing with food, including the manufacture, storage, transport or
sale of food, must give notice to the Minister of any infestation that comes to their
knowledge and the Minister may give directions for preventing or mitigating such
infestation, including the carrying out of structural works or the application of any
form of treatment deemed necessary by the Minister in the circumstances.
Regulations made under this Act relax or exclude, where expedient, the obligation
under Section 13 of the 1949 Act of persons engaged in the manufacture, storage,
transport or sale of food, e.g., grain, fresh fruit, meat and fish, to give notice to the
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of any infestation of pests on premises, vehicles,
food or other goods. As certain premises are permanently infested with insects and
mites, constant notification would be impracticable.
The Regulations place restrictions on the delivery of infested food and other
goods so as to enable infestation by pests to be controlled.
Rag and Bone Bye-laws.
During 1950 the Council instituted proceedings against two men for an offence
against the London County Council Bye-laws respecting the business of a rag and
bone dealer. The men were seen by a police constable in a Woolwich street to hand
balloons with plastic covers to eight small children in exchange for bundles of old
rags. Fines totalling £4 with £2 costs were imposed.
Rag Flock.
The Public Analyst reported that the two samples submitted for analysis during
1950 conformed to the standard of cleanliness laid down in the Rag Flock
Regulations, the number of parts of chlorine being 9.5 and 9.1 respectively.
Offensive Trades.
During the year, the Council approved an application for the renewal of one
tripe boiler licence.
There is one other offensive trade—that of slaughterer of poultry—carried on
within the Borough, the Council having approved the re-establishment of this
business.
Legal Proceedings.
During 1950 it was necessary to institute legal proceedings in 97 cases in order
to obtain compliance with notices served by the sanitary inspectors under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936. Of the total summonses, 45 were withdrawn,
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