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Rodent Control
The following table gives details of work carried out in accordance with the policy
of the Council, as outlined in previous reports.
Total notifications of
Rats and Mice Confirmed Non-Confirmed
230 230 —
Business and Industrial 50 premises treated
Domestic 180 „ „
Rats found and cleared in 111 „
Mice ,, ,, ,, ,, 119 ”
Total number of visits in 1964—1,701
Sewers
Total number of manholes baited 121
Number of poison takes —
No takes 121
These figures show a great increase in the amount of infestation by rats in business
and industrial premises, and an increase in the sewer rat population.
In the Annual Report for 1963, comment was made on the carelessness of the population
in depositing litter in the streets and open spaces and the fact that this encouraged
the increase of the rat and mouse population by these practices. The same can be said about
the people in business and industry and in the factories and workshops unless sweeping
is carried out several times a day. All kinds of waste is strewn on yards, floors and staircases,
also rat-proofing of basement and ground floor premises is not always watched as
carefully as it should be. Food stored in these premises, which are often ill-lit, is piled up
close to outside walls, and operatives who lift and move piles from these dark corners
do not feel it is their responsibility to report when holes are apparent in rat-proofing. There
seems to be a growing impression on the part of the public that as they pay for street
sweeping and public highways inspection they should be free to increase the need for
street sweeping and supply work for the inspectors.
Health education on these points is a slow and tedious business, and although a Litter
Act was brought into force in 1958, this has acted as no deterrent. The drivers of private
cars set a bad example in this respect.
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