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35
14. RODENT AND INSECT PEST CONTROL,,
The good public relations cultivated between the department,
business managements, and private householders have produced again
the pleasing factor that no legal action has been taken under the
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949.
The department's work, to a certain extent, has been complicated
by the fact that more married women now go out to work, and
this means that frequently there is no one at home when a call is
made. It is necessary, therefore, to make special appointments and
revisits,, Time spent on the car and watching television has meant
that back gardens tend more and more to become neglected and littered
with rubbish and unwanted articles. Because of this, some difficulty
is sometimes experienced in controlling rodent infestations.
Infestations on new building sites are often due to the careless
habits of workmen and it is necessary to maintain regular
inspections of such premises.
The routine inspection of drainage systems continues to yield
good results in that fourteen defects were found in drains and three
in sewers, all of which have been dealt with by the appropriate
department. Such an instance is of an unsealed and disused drain
connected to horse stables of a house .many years ago, the site of
which is now covered by a block of flats.
Control of the sewerage system was again effectively maintained;
during the course of this work an observation was made which was
effective proof of the efficiency of modern rodenticides. A small
colony of rats was exterminated and the circumstances in which this
took place were considered to be of such interest that officers of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Pood considered that the
matter should receive publication. This was done in the December
issue of "The Sanitarian".
Insect Pest Control; The department has carried out control and
maintenance treatments in all types of premises. During the year
requests were received to deal with infestations which involved the
following insects ants, cockroaches, carpet beetles, fruit flies,
flour moths, clothes moths, mosquitoes, spider beetles, biscuit beetles,
woodworm and house flies.