Rat Menace In Auckland

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 14

Rat Menace In Auckland

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 12.

Health inspectors of Auckland local bodies are becoming increasingly concerned at the rat menace throughout the metropolitan. area.

In some districts, there have been reports of alarming increases in the estimated rat population Orthodox control measures have failed to stem the increase.

The cost in polluted food, damaged goods and buildings is estimated to exceed tens of thousands of pounds annually. The senior inspector of health of the Health Department, Mr T. M. Houston, today emphasised that the problem was widespread throughout the metropolitan area. "Auckland is the worst city in New Zealand for rats,” he said. ‘T4 is a port, the climate seems particularly suitable for them, there are ample food and harbourage places. The general volcanic nature of the area is ideal for nesting ahd hiding places for rate.” Mr Houston said he considered that localised problems should be controlled by block attacks in which all buildings in an area were worked through systematically. The larger metropolitan problem, he said, could only be attacked by co-ordination between all local bodies. ‘There must be full-time rodent officers.” he said. “It cannot be controlled by one or two men working parttime. It is too large for that now. It is useless for one borough to be vigilant if there is a problem next door.”

A meeting of health inspectors is to be held to consider measures to be taken against the problem.