RATS AND FLEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 236, 5 October 1928, Page 6

RATS AND FLEAS.

PARTICULARLY NUMEROUS nr AUCKLAND. • (To the Editor.) As I sit in my office (working overtime) listening to the hordes of weighty rats enjoying their nocturnal "daily dozen" in the wall lining it brings to my mind the very forcible fut that Auckland is one of the "rattiest" cities I have seen for years. Not that I rat as an animal—dear me, no, I love —but the fact remains that as a disease carrier he is the last thing on four legs. Our Citv Council evidently does not claim a knowledge of natural history, otherwise it would knov that the scoria and volcanic formation of the country around Auckland is eminently suitable "for breeding a race of "oversize" rats. I could name several breeding centres—the Auckland Zoo, old Queen Street properties, miles of scoria walls, the Mount Albert laying competition* etc. To hear them gambolling arming making a noise like scampering cats is evidence that very little is being done to eliminate and, let me see, how many progeny does one pair breed in a year! "Somewhere around 1,566,331, I believe. Rather hard luek on Auckland if an epidemic hit our "little town.* Talking of rats reminds me of fleas, and when it comes to the real tail-in-the-air biters, then Auckland can claim a premier strain of hard blood drinkers. Even throughout this winter I average a catch of one per day, and in summer time—well, probably the reason we hear so little of them is because "nice people" hate to mention fleas. "Ugh! Don't them." I have lived in Australia for years, but, to be honest, I never knew what a item was like until I landed in Auckland. Some seven years ago a party of four went to an entertainment in a building now pulled down, and, as the fleas were so vicious, they left. Dig. cussing the subject a few days later it was found that thirty-two fleas were mustered between the four persons when they disrobed in the bath. As the warmer weather is now approaching, might I suggest that the City Council utilise the transport subcommittee for the purpose of formulating a scheme of transporting the rats and fleas to Nirvana? CITIZEN.