HUGE RAT BILL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 435, 17 May 1937, Page 5

HUGE RAT BILL

£1,000,000 A YEAR Sydney’s Troubles Sydney, May 3. As many rats as human beings live in Sydney—more than 1,000,000. Every rat eats or destroys goods? worth Id ■a. day, so that Sydney’s bill for rats is about £1,000,000., a year. In -a report to the City Council’s health jcommilttee, the Ci|t.iy Health Officer (Dr. Dunn) regretted that i councils in municipalities adjoining the city did not employ rat-catchera. “While the City Council employs’ a staff of seven rat-catchers,” he said, “the Maritime Services Board and the. Public Health Department employ only two each, end they could with advantage increase the number.” Ratproofing of food premises was being enforced by the council, he said, Notices had been served on thousands of property owners to render their premises ratproof Seek Co-operation. | The Health committee decided to I seek the co-operation of municipal I councils bordering the city in rat prevention through the Metropolitan Medical Officer (Dr. Drew). Aiderman Marks announced tint the Maritime Services Board had agreed to increase its rat-catching staff. The city has* done its fair share of the work in the past,” he added, “and I do, not think that the- City I Council can be in any way blamed I for any existing lack of organisation.” Authorities admit that all methods of poisoning, trapping and ratproofing have been unsuccessful in wiping out rats, due to their remarkable fecundity. Rat-catching staffs, are maintained largely as intelligence corps, to provide early knowledge of any outbreak of plague. The Metropolitan Medical Officer of Health said that the rat position in Sydney was about stationary at present, but efforts must never be relaxed. 'Rats had a habit of appearing suddenly in large numbers and then just as suddenly disappearing. No adiaquate reason for these appearances and disappearances bad been found. Dr. Drew added that several municipal councils maintained irat-catchers and 1 the position in the suburbs was constantly under review.