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Inspection of (a) Factories—mechanical power 950
(b) Factories—non-mechanical power 51
(c) Other premises 5
(d) Workplaces 179
(e) Outworkers' premises 282
Defects remedied 32
At the end of the year the number of outworkers registered with the Department was 168.
Mosquitoes.—No complaint of the presence of biting mosquitoes was received during the year.
Culex molestus, the biting mosquito that caused so much annoyance during 1939-46, appears to have
ceased to breed in the district. Householders, gardeners and allotment holders can do much to discourage
breeding of mosquitoes by attending to ponds, waterbuts, liquid manure pits, etc.
Disinfestation.—The Health Department deals with bug and other infestations in houses and
other premises and for this purpose D.D.T. and other insecticides are used. During the year 78 rooms in
35 houses were treated while 42 wasp nests were destroyed, 4 premises cleared of cockroaches, 2 cleared
of ants, 7 cleared of fleas and 1 of moths. Treatment of ponds and tanks to prevent the breeding of
mosquitoes was carried out on 119 occasions.
Noise Nuisance.—In the Middlesex County Council Act a noise nuisance is deemed to exist "where
any person makes or continues or causes to be made or continued any excessive or unreasonable or unnecessary
noise which is injurious or dangerous to health." Further, it is a good defence for the person
charged to show "that he has used the best practicable means of preventing or mitigating the nuisance,
having regard to the cost and to other relevant circumstances." Most complaints of noise nuisance arise
in connection with industrial processes carried on in factories situated close to houses. From the above
definition it will be seen that many factors have to be taken into consideration in judging whether or not
a noise is a nuisance within the meaning of the Act, though there may be no doubt about the annoyance
to residents in the neighbourhood of the factory concerned. During the year complaints of nuisance
due to noise were received in regard to five factories. Day and night observations were made concerning
these complaints and in conjunction with the firms concerned measures were taken to reduce the noise
as far as was practicable.
Individual susceptibility to noise or vibration varies greatly and what may annoy one person will
not be noticed appreciably by another. The mechanics of noise and vibration transmission are difficult
subjects and theoretical solutions do not always prove practicable or effective. In many cases a lessening
only of the nuisance is the maximum result that can be anticipated. The siting of factories or the
establishment of industrial processes in or near houses is a potential source of noise nuisance and this should
be born in mind in town planning.
Rats and Mice Destruction, etc.—The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949, which came
into operation on 30th March, 1950, repealed the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919. The responsibility
" to keep their area, as far as practicable, free from rats and mice " is placed on the Council and
occupiers of premises are required to give notice when they have knowledge that rats or mice are present
in substantial numbers. It is obligatory on the Council to recover the expenses reasonably incurred in
taking steps for the destruction of rats and mice on business premises but permissive as far as the cost
of treating private dwellings is concerned. The Council has decided to make no charge for the treatment
of private dwelling-houses unless there is failure on the part of the owner or occupier to co-operate in preventing
infestation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries may make to local authorities a grant
equal to one half of the expenditure incurred in the performance of their duties under the Act so far as
such expenditure has not been recovered.
No notification of the presence of rats or mice in substantial numbers has been received, but by the
visits of the Sanitary Inspectors and the Rodent Officer and complaints of " rats coming from next door,"
no gross infestation should escape attention. The Council employs a Rodent Officer who is responsible
for systematic inspection, planning of treatment, supervising the work of the rodent operatives and checking
results. A summary of the work done in recent years is shown below:—
1948 1949 1950 1951 1952
Complaints received 391 419 421 607 618
Block inspections 9 9 37 89 51
Individual inspections 2,026 2,862 2,574 3,150 4,441
Individual re-inspections 234 271 316 221 669
Other visits 408 408 402 438 614
Premises treated—
(a) By occupiers 111 71 25 19 41
(b) By Local Authority 806 848 882 743 1,075
Test baiting and where necessary, treatment is carried out to sewers, watercourses, tips, etc. By
whatever means rats and mice gain access to premises their continued presence is due to conditions on the
premises which provided food and/or shelter. Unless occupiers take the necessary precautions to discourage
rats, progress towards eradication will be slow.
Exchange of Articles for Rags, etc.—Under the Public Health Act, 1936, it is an offence of
any person who collects or deals in rags, etc., to sell or deliver, whether gratuitously or not, any article
whatsoever to a child under the age of 14 years, in exchange for rags, etc. The Police notify the Council
of any such contraventions coming to their notice.
During the year two dealers in rags were prosecuted and fines of 20/- imposed in each case.
Shops Act, 1950, Section 38.—This section requires shops to be reasonably ventilated, heated and
lighted and that there should be suitable and sufficient sanitary and washing facilities for the persons
employed therein. In this connection 33 inspections were made during the year.
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