View report page

32
MINISTRY OF FOOD.
Rat Order, 1918.
The Ministry of Food Rat Order, 1918, was reported to your Worshipful
Committee in the following terms :—
"This Order confers power on' Local Authorities' to take any measures thought
proper for the destruction of rats where these are causing preventable damage or
destruction to foodstuffs.
"Under the Order the owner or occupier of neglected lands or buildings infested
with rats, or the owner or occupier on whose lands rubbish attractive to rats accumulates
by neglect of removal, is responsible for the infestation and for its abatement.
"On failure of the owners or occupiers to comply with reasonable directions of the
Local Authority, the Authority may enter and take measures, and may recover
expenses incurred under the failure of the owner or occupier to carry out his obligations
and attributable to this.
"In the exercise of its powers, the Local Authority has regard to recommendations
made by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries or a War Executive Committee in the
area.
"The Local Authority may prosecute for breaches of the Order, and failure of the
owner or occupier to comply with directions is a summary offence.
"The constituted Local Authorities are County Councils and County Borough
Councils.
"In view of the valuable powers given by the Rat Order and the impetus, where
necessary, to the campaign against rats which would accrue, I would recommend to
your Worshipful Committee that the Ministry of Food be requested to forthwith
constitute the Port of London Sanitary Authority a ' Local Authority' for their
district for the purposes of the Rat Order, 1918.
" The recommendation is made on the following grounds:—
"1. The Port Sanitary Authority already exercises powers in destroying
rats throughout the Port Sanitary District for the prevention of plague infection.
"2. These powers are not in themselves sufficient to secure similar action
in the case of foodstuffs; though food is stored in, or is in transit through the
district in immense quantity.
"3. A County Council does not otherwise] than by the Order exercise
jurisdiction in the Port Sanitary District.
"4. Three County and County Borough Councils under the present Order
would exei'cise jurisdiction in one dock, and four in the whole district of the
Authority."
It was further recommended that your Worshipful Committee should request the
following extension of the Order be made:—
"For the purpose of this Order any vessel lying in any water within the
district of the Port Sanitary Authority shall be subject to the jurisdiction
of the Authority as if it were a ' building on the grounds that—
"1. The ship is a perennial source of rat supply to docks and wharves.