AnnualReport-1928

M 94

(ii) Building Nuisances:- Appendix D (i) line 1 shows by districts the number of nuisances under Part III of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance reported by the Department to the Building Authority for action. These are additional to those referred to in paragraph (1) above.

(iii) Miscellaneous Improvements:- Appendix D (i) lines 3, 4, 5 show miscellaneous improvements effected by District Inspectors in their districts. Lines 7, 8, 9, 10 show the number of houses demolished and erected. The great majority of these are tenement houses.

(iv) House Cleansing:- The routine work under the by-laws for the Prevention and Mitigation of Epidemic Disease was carried out during the year. Appendix E shows the number of floors cleansed in the various districts and as compared with the last two years.

House cleansing was carried on continuously on five mornings a week throughout by the staff. Appendix F shows approximately the total number of Chinese houses liable for cleansing.

(v) Limewashing: The usual limewashing required by the Domestic Cleanliness and Ventilation By-laws was carried out during the year. Appendix G shows the number of floors limewashed. The difference between this total and the total in Appendix F is due partly to exemptions, some floors being new and not requiring limewashing. A certain number has also been carried over into 1929.

Departmental limewashing at the request of owners and where necessary under By-law 4 was carried out during the year. At the beginning of the year, there were a few complaints from tenants regarding the mess made by using the spray, but none at the end of the year. An increased number of covering sheets is now supplied.

(vi) Rat Catching:- Twenty-eight members of the cleansing staff were employed during the year setting traps, bird lime boards, and rat poison; also collecting rats from street rat-bins, private premises, etc., and taking them to the Public Mortuary for examination. Special campaigns in February and November were undertaken when rat-poison was distributed throughout urban districts. The total number of rats caught was:

Of these, none were found to be plague-infected.

(vii) Mosquito Prevention:- The routine work of oiling pools and inspecting dwellings for breeding places was carried out by District Inspectors, and by two Foremen with coolies specially...