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Rodent Control
The Council's sewers were treated on two occasions during the year
but unlike the methods used in previous years when Council staff were
employed baiting with Zinc Phosphide, Arsenous Oxide, etc., a servicing
company was engaged using the "1080" poison.
Pre-baiting of the sewer is not carried out, so no check could be made
of the amount of bait taken, but the report from the sewage works
manager indicated that the number of rat bodies found at the works was
far in excess of the number found on the previous occasions when the
sewers were previously treated. The time taken by the company was
about one week.
Surface treatment continued throughout the year by one operative
employed on the staff of the Public Health Department. 325 complaints
were received and 343 treatments and re-inspections carried out.
Wasps' Nests
As in previous years the eradication of wasps at a small charge was
performed by the Rodent Operative. During the year 119 wasps' nests
were destroyed.
Noise Abatement Act, 1960
The annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1962
contained reference to a complaint of noise alleged to come from a
large bakery which is situated opposite to a row of dwellings occupied
by the complainants.
These occupiers alleged that noise was caused (a) from the loading
into delivery vans of trays of bread and (b) by starting up and driving
off of the delivery vans. Activities of the bakery commenced and continued
into the early hours of the morning disturbing, it was alleged, the
rest and sleep of the local residents.
Observations made in the early hours of the morning with and without
the aid of a sound level meter failed to find evidence which could
support the claims of the house occupiers. Traffic passing along the
arterial road had a much greater effect on the sound level meter than
did the sound from the bakery.
The Council through the Town Clerk advised, because the Local
Authority could find nothing that could justify legal action being taken
by them, that the occupiers should take action as provided in the Act.
They were reluctant to do this and asked that a deputation be interviewed
bv the Public Health Committee, and to this the Committee
agreed. After interviewing the deputation and the solicitor acting for
the bakery it was resolved that the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and
another Committee Member should interview the owner of the bakery
and put to him details of the complaints made and the remedies suggested
by the residents' deputation.
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