PRECAUTIONS AT LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11278, 20 May 1902, Page 5

PRECAUTIONS AT LYTTELTON.

THE TRAFFIC IN RATS.

Yesterday was observed as a day of general cleaning up of back yards at Lyttelton. To ensure that the careless aod indiiferent did not allow their premises to remain drirtv, Mr Russell (Foreman of Works) and Mr Sowden (Inspector of Nuisances), assisted by a staff of men, made a'house-to-house inspection, and in the fewcases where residents would not take independent action, tiie men were ordered by the Inspectors to elou-r away rubbish and refuse. The streets were ornamented with a fine assortment of rubbish receptacles, but extra carts scon cleared everything offensive away to the depot .Speaking to one of the Inspectors, a representative of "The Press" was informed that in very few instances had he met- anything iin the shape of a really d.irtv back yard, and, taken as a whole," he tloubtsct whether Christc&urch, or any other town in th-a colony, could of being as clean. Be that as it may, to-day Lytteltcn is all th<e better ior its specially thorough sweep-up. In fairness to the authorities it ought to be stated that- the streets ami footpaths of the borough arc exceptionally clean and well kept. There, can be no doubt that there are a number of very dd buildings in the town which ought to be removed, but whether they are in that condition which the Health Officer would consider warranted him in ordering their destruction, is another matter. A.l anyrate, till tha Health Officer does do so the borough officials can do nothing. Not onl'.y will rats be unprocurable in Lyttelton at an early date, and backyards models of cleanliness and order in that seaside .town, but the very dogs will be excmip'.es to their canine brethren. A public dip for dogs has been provided at tlie Council yard, ,and many damp-looking and rather dejected animals, smelling strongly of sheep-dip, were seen in its neighbourhood yesterday afternoon. It is expected thaifc -when owneirs of dogs know~-that the dip is provided it will be generally used. During the past week about 150 rats have been .received at the Pumping Station at LyfcbeUt-on, land paid for at 6d per head. Every description of rat-trap is in use, and even shooting is resorted to, but it is difficult to secure much of a 'bag, and rat-catching in Lyttelton-—even at 6d a -head—does not suggest itself as a lucrative employment. Yesterday morning <an in-telligesnt-'.ooking small boy boldly marched up to the Pumping Station with a neat parcel, which he handed to the man m charge, remarking that it contained five rats, for which ha wanted half a crown. The official was suspicious, and, in fact, "smelt a rat" in more ways than one. "You are not a Lyttelton boy?" he asked. ''No, sir; I comefiom Christchuich," was the reply. "Andwhere did you catch the rats?" was the next query. wharf, sir," was the .unblushing answer. Questioned further, the youngster said he had arrived by the eleven o'clock tiain, and as this meant that in about twenty minutes he had captured five i<ats. tied them up in a neat parcel, and taken them to the Pumping Station (for tt was before noon when he reached the latter place), he was referred to_the Town Clerk (Mr Geo. Lewin), the rats, howevei, being impounded, as it waa doubted whether they would keep much longer. The boy went to Mr Lewin, end told his story, which did .not appeal to that /officer sufficiently to induce him to pay out. "Look here, young gentleman," he said, "you brought' those rats from Christchurch, and as they haven't-got the Lyttelton Board of Trade mark on them, we can'i; pay you." "Well, sir." the boy Slid, "if you can't pay, give mc back my rata!" Mr Lewin (who is a kind-hearted man) gave the lad a shilling to pay his fare to "and from town, and advised him not to try the same game on again.