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57
Refuse encourages rats, burning creates bad feeling among neighbours
and litter begets litter and generally lowers standards. The urgent
public health need at the moment is to make the public litter and refuse
conscious.
Comparing the general complaints received during the year with
those of ten, twenty or thirty years ago a marked change in the general
pattern is to be found. Few are received today about verminous persons
or verminous premises—these were common in the 1930s. Few complaints
are received about the condition of dustbins whereas in earlier years a
steady stream of complaints reached the Department about these fittings.
Fewer complaints are received about overcrowding but much more is
heard of the dwelling in multiple occupation, of ants, rats, squirrels and
pigeons and of foreign matter in food stuff.
Rats and Mice.
The number of complaints received about rats and mice was 1,568.
Of these 1,441 were in respect of infestations at private dwellings. Business
and agricultural premises were involved in the other 127.
No major infestations were found, though evidence of conditions
likely to lead to the build-up of a serious reservoir of rats was found at the
Council's Newton Farm Site. This was dealt with and arrangements were
made for the area to receive treatment from a Servicing Company at
quarterly intervals. The situation here at the end of the year was satisfactory.
The Council's Rodent Operatives undertook the treatment necessary
for rats at 1,482 premises and for mice at a further 86. The work necessitated
over 5,200 visits being made. In addition to the work arising from
the complaints received, test baiting was carried out along the water
courses in the district and at other points affording cover and likely to
harbour vermin.
Many of the complaints investigated and dealt with were associated
with the depositing of unwanted material particularly behind sheds and coal
hunkers and in the nooks and crannies that are to be found in most
gardens. The material was often discarded garden or household articles
which together with garden debris and litter provided excellent cover and
suitable nesting grounds for rodents while ample food is nearly always
to be found in the gardens of the many who "willy nilly" scatter food
scraps for the birds.
There is little doubt that there would be a marked reduction in the
rodent population of the district if undeveloped sites, hedgerows, ditches
and gardens were kept free of litter and debris and if more thought and
care were exercised by well meaning bird lovers.