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26
A total of 4,805 visits was made to dwellings and business premises
througout the year.
Complaints of infestation by rats or mice numbered 275 and
inspection and investigation revealed rat infestation at 148 premises
and mice infestation at 113 premises. By the end of the year infestation
had been cleared at 244 of these premises.
Treatment of the foul sewers was carried out on two occasions, a
total of 1,293 visits being made for this purpose in connection with
inspection, baiting, poisoning and checking results. In all, 383 manholes
were dealt with and of this number 144 were found to be
infestated and were poison baited.
An interesting departure was made from the accepted baiting
routine when the second treatment of foul sewers was carried out in
November. In co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Fisheries, a new technique was practised whereby a mould-inhibitor
(paranitrophenol) was added to the baits, thus providing a longer
period for the rats to establish a feeding habit in the sewer manholes.
A comparison between the baiting time-tables of the old and new
methods clearly shows this advantage.
Old Method.
New Method.
1st day: Prebaiting with damp
sausage rusk.
1st day: Prebaiting with damp
sausage rusk + paranitrophenol.
2nd day: Renew baits. 4th day: Renew baits.
3rd day: Poison baiting (zinc
phosphide).
8th day: Poison baiting (zinc
phosphide).
5th day: Inspection. 11th day: Inspection.
The degree of added efficiency which is claimed for the new method
can only be assessed when the treated areas are baited again in 1957,
but preliminary inspections indicate that there is now a greater
prospect of reducing sewer infestations.
SHOPS ACT, 1950.
There are 793 shops on the Department's Register and 316 inspections
were made during the year. This work continued the survey of