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The reason for this lies not in any conservatism in matters of procedure among Port Medical
Officers but to an unfortunate propaganda by the Infestation Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries against the use of this rodenticide.
The limitations of the use of this rodenticide have been repeated almost ad nauseam. It cannot
and must not be used in places and by people where there is not strict control to the exclusion of
any possibility of approach by unauthorised persons and by animals and last, but not least, by
persons who are not fully trained in its use and aware of its dangers.
It is maintained that if these considerations are accepted and observed, "1080" is no more
dangerous to use, indeed much less dangerous than hydrogen cyanide or many other poisons. Nevertheless
the Infestation Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will not accept it and
seem to continue to regard it as something almost as dangerous as an atomic explosion. This attitude
is to be regretted and has yet to be explained by the Infestation Branch.
CONTROL OF COCKROACHES.
Reference was made in my report for 1952 to the newly developed insecticidal resins and there
has been increasing interest in the shipping industry in these resins with the result that quite a number
of ships have now been treated with highly satisfactory results.
Here again, just as in the case of the use of "1080" for the destruction of rats, difficulties have
been met in persuading Port Medical Officers to recommend the lacquer and shipping companies to
use it.
The circumstances, however, differ. It is not here a question of the efficiency of these coatings
if properly applied but the high cost and the fact that their application is not primarily a painters job.
In order that these resins shah do their work properly they must be applied by a man who is
trained in the habits and harbourages of cockroaches and who has at his disposal the equipment for
the efficient application of the lacquer to these harbourages.
It is not simply a question of a supply of lacquer, a brush and an ordinary painting job. On the
contrary, the lacquer must first be properly prepared for use, be applied with a spraying machine
capable of getting into all the nooks and corners where cockroaches are likely to be found and these
include the interstices of cookers, the inside of drawers, lockers, cupboards and even wireless cabinets.
In other words in almost every space where it is difficult to apply a coating by means of the ordinary
painter's brush. Consequently under all these conditions the job is considerably more expensive
than an ordinary painting job. On the other hand it should last for at least two years and this is now
being proved time and again.
We are in the stage, therefore, of overcoming teething troubles, not the least important being
the high cost of the material and the fact that it must be applied by skilled operators. Both these
troubles will be overcome in the near future but shipping companies who have had the foresight to
disregard them are delighted with the results.
PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS (APPLICATION TO SHIPPING) ORDER, 1951.
The provisions contained in the Order have been exercised fully without any undue interference
with the normal trading practices of vessels concerned.
Rodent Control Certificates in the form prescribed in the Order, have been issued to 101 coasting
vessels and, of these, only one required deratting treatment for slight evidence of rodents.
The certificates are not issued to ships on which a reliable inspection cannot be carried out, a
condition which is often found in coastwise traders where only part cargo may be discharged and
other cargo loaded at the same time. Although a certificate is issued free of charge to the shipowner
and is somewhat insignificant in appearance, there is a general tendency among the ships' officers to
respect its value more than they had hitherto.
Daring the year close contact with The Association of Master Lightermen and Barge Owners
as well as individual owners has created an atmosphere of friendly and constructive relations concerning
policy for the deratting and rat-proofing of lighters.
A Rodent Inspector has been allocated to the Middle River district to intensify the inspection
of lighters and subsequent deratting measures. The industry has collaborated with the scheme in a
very encouraging manner, while the Authority has taken all reasonable action to facilitate the free
movement of lighter traffic under surveillance.
The actual work of inspection commenced in June and the detailed results are as follows:—
Number of lighters inspected 1,768
Number of lighters without evidence of rats 1,517
Number of lighters with very slight evidence 125
Number of lighters reported for treatment 126
Number of rats recovered after treatment 204
Simple rat-proofing measures are the antidote for rat infestation of lighters and this information
is persistently offered to the owners. The figures afore-mentioned indicate that the lighters are not
infested to the extent popularly imagined and by a process of team work between industry and the
Authority, it may soon be a rare occasion when rats are to be found resident in a lighter.
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