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PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT,, 1949. During the year the policy of tracing the
cause of Infestation by rats has been continued and drains or sewers found to be defective
have been dealt with.
Rodent Control, Disinfestation and Disinfection.
The Section has carried out 1929 inspections of dwelling houses of which 880 were
found to be infested by rats and 280 by mice.
Two hundred and seventy five visits were paid to industrial and business premises
and of these 171 were found to be infested by rats and 101 by mice.
In some four cases Notices were served under Section 4. In one case proceedings were
instituted for non-compliance.
The statistical table is set out on page 22.
The Sanitary Inspectors carried out some 3879 drain tests and some considerable number
of drainage systems were re-constructed together with the Public Sewers (as defined by the
Public Health Act, 1936) into which they drained. The recovery of the costs of these works
presents a difficult problem and adds a considerable load to the department.
Much of this drainage work was initiated because of rat infestation through known
defects.
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