ENG-1956 — Page 176

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

The conservancy section, which provides for the collection and disposal of night-soil from approximately 48,000 floors, employs a staff of about 1,700. The amount of night-soil collected exceeded 70,000 cubic yards, most of which was delivered by barges to the Tsuen Wan Maturation Station, from where it is distributed by the Vegetable Marketing Organization to farmers in the New Territories for use as fertilizer. Additional staff were engaged to enable all con- servancy staff, who do all their work at night, to enjoy a 42-hour working week and two-day rest period each month. Orders were placed for eight new tanker-type conservancy vehicles for service in the Central District of Hong Kong. Delivery of the vehicles is expected early in 1957. It is hoped that this experiment in the mechanization of the night-soil collection organization will bring an improved service to house-holders and cause less offence during collection and transport.

Many complaints about mosquitoes were received during the spring and autumn. Apart from several anti-mosquito drives in particular districts, a campaign which embraced nearly all the urban area was held during September. 30,000 houses and huts were visited, and 756 breeding places were found and eliminated. A severe infestation of flies in Pok- fulam and the Peak areas of the island was brought under control by effective survey and abatement action.

New activities of the Pest Control Section included the introduction of warfarin (an anti-coagulant rodenticide) for routine use in the control of rats and mice. This material, which is safer to human beings and domestic animals than most other rodenticides, also has the advantage of being effective against all three species of rodent pests which occur commonly in the urban area of Hong Kong.

Another new activity was the commencement of studies on the life-histories and habits of the two common culicine mosquito pests (Aedes albopictus and Culex fatigans) with a view to the development of more effective control measures.