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108
ll. COMPLAINTS.
The number of complaints received from the general public during the
year was 3,316 .
The following is a brief list of causes for complaints received during
1965:-
Accumulations 45
Animals 13
Caravans 6
Dampness 45
Drainage 637
Flooding 15
Foods 79
General Housing Defects 105
Insects 87
Noise 43
Offensive Odours 53
Pigeons 35
Rodents Rats 1353
Mice141 1494
Smoke 57
Squirrels 27
Wasps 507
Water 5
Others
3316
12. RODENT AND INSECT PEST CONTROL.
Upon the merger of the Boroughs. this section of the department was
faced with an acute shortage of staff. and this was accentuated by the
issue of the booklet with its message to the citizens of the new Borough,
which drew the attention of many people to facilities of which they were
previously unaware. In the case of rodent control it brought forth an
avalanche of complaints and for a time it was impossible to deal with
them in a prompt and efficient manner.
In some cases the staff were operating in districts with which they
were unfamiliar and their task was rendered more difficult by the lack of
name boards on both sides of by-roads or, in some cases, the complete
absence of name boards. The numbers of many house 8, and particularly in
rows of shops,, are either missing or not prominently displayed.
There is no doubt that there would be fewer complaints of rats if
people would keep their yards and gardens reasonably tidy for frequently
shelter is provided for the rats by accumulations of rubbish or unwanted
furniture.