M (1) 13
(iv) Miscellaneous improvements:- Appendix N (i) lines 3, 4, 5 shows 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.
(v) House Cleansing:- The routine work under the by-laws for the Prevention and Mitigation of Epidemic Disease was carried out during the year. Appendix O 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 the year by the staff. The privilege of permitting certain occupants of premises to carry out house cleansing at their own convenience was continued and further extended during the year.
The terms and conditions under which this concession was granted were, generally, complied with.
Appendix P shows approximately the total number of Chinese houses liable for cleansing.
(vi) Limewashing:- The usual limewashing required by the Domestic Cleanliness and Ventilation By-laws was carried out during the year. Appendix Q shows the number of floors limewashed. The difference between this total and the total in Appendix P is due partly to exemptions, some floors being new and not requiring limewashing. A certain number has also been carried over into 1930.
Departmental limewashing at the request of owner and where necessary under By-law 4 was carried out throughout the year. No complaints as to the quality of the work done or of injury to property were received.
(vii) 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 March and April were undertaken when rat-poison was distributed throughout urban districts. The total number of rats caught was:-
Hong Kong
Kowloon
87,786
47,631
Of these 4 were found plague infected.
The infected rats came from Nos. 8 and 9 Health Districts and were found in property adjoining the water front.