MOSQUITO PEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 173, 29 October 1941, Page 2

MOSQUITO PEST

A SOURCE OF DANGER

WATCH BREEDING PLACES

"As wo are now approaching the season when mosquitoes may become not only exceedingly annoying but also a source of danger in the transmission of disease, I shall be pleased if your council will again take up the matter of mosquito control in so far as it applies to. your district," states a circular sent out recently by the Department of Health, Auckland, to all local bodies. The circular continues as under : "As in previous years I am forwarding hereunder certain information concerning the places which may act as breeding places for mosquitoes, and information suggesting methods "which may be adopted to prevent the breeding and control the spread of the mosquito. "Prevention of breeding of mosquitoes on private premises is a matter for private individuals. Special attention requires to be paid. to all backyards and other places where tins, bottles, drums, old motor tyres, etc., and everything about premises which may collect water requires to be removed or buried. (Unattended wash tubs and boiling coppers, flower vases and water allowed to be therein). Roof Gutters "House water gutters which are sagging or obstructed, and in which water may stagnate require attention. Any tanks used for collecting water should be properly covered or screened with a screen containing 18 meshes to the inch. "Gully traps into which rain -water is chiefly discharged may be breeding places, and should be llushcd out at least twice a week or treated with kerosene. "All depressions about premises which may hold water should be filled in or drained. Hollows in tree stumps should be filled with earth. "Water tanks or barrels require proper covering to prevent access of mosquitoes, or to be covered with a .screen 18 meshes to the inch or 19 strands to the inch. "Palm and banana trees etc., may hold water and should be treated or removed. "Private ponds and fountains should be stocked with goldfish or minnows, or otherwise treated with kerosene. Creeks and Drains "Any creek or drain running through private property should be kept free of obstruction and its ,edges kept clear of vegetation, otherwise such should be piped, and, if pools form in dry weather, these should be drained or treated with kerosene. Remove, as far as possible, long grass or bushes or coarse vegetation which may be sheltering places for adult mosquitoes. "Unused wells should be filled in; otherwise the water should be treated ay*ith kerosene. "In business areas, tanks, oil drums, barrels, petrol tins, etc.., should lie stored upside doYvn, or in such a position that they wall not collect water therein. Olcl and scrapped machinery, broken up motor cars etc., should be treated likewise, and, wherever possible, useless tins and other articles Yvhich may act as receptacles for Yvater should be pierced Yvith holes, so that they will not retain water; but it is more satisfactory for them to be flattened out as much as possible and then properly buried. "Fire buckets containing Yvater should be treated with crcsol, kerosene or lime."