196 



Destruction of Eats in 1921. 



[June, 



prepared to leave the rates to rise or fall for a period in accord- 

 ance with the official cost of living index figures. 



While steady progress was made during the period 1st April, 

 1921, to 31st March, 1922, with regard to the administration of 



Destruction of ^ e ^ ats anc ^ ^ ce (Destruction) Act, 1919, 

 Rats in 1921 ^ County and Metropolitan Boroughs, Port 

 Sanitary Authorities, and Town and Dis- 

 trict Councils to which powers have been delegated by County 

 Councils, the year was marked by many changes in respect of 

 the administration of the Act by County Councils. This was due 

 to the many efforts made to achieve economy, which compelled 

 some Counties to dispense with the services of a whole-time Rat 

 Officer, even although those services were shown to have been 

 of great assistance to occupiers throughout the country, and to 

 have led to the proper observance of the Act. Moreover, the 

 repeal of Part I of the Agriculture Act, 1920, with the subsequent 

 termination of the appointments of Cultivation Officers, also 

 affected the situation, as these officers had, in many cases, been 

 appointed to carry out the work of Rat Officers in connection with 

 their ordinary duties. 



There are now 559 Local Authorities responsible for the ad- 

 ministration of the Act, i.e., 63 County Councils, 82 County 

 Boroughs, 60 Port Sanitary Authorities, 28 Metropolitan 

 Boroughs, the City of London and 325 Minor Authorities, of 

 which, according to records in the possession of the Ministry, 

 only 16 County Councils (3 of these Councils have delegated 

 powers to all Town and District Councils), 5 Port Sanitary 

 Authorities and 91 Minor Authorities have not yet appointed 

 an officer responsible for the administration of the Act. In 

 addition, most of the Local Authorities that have not appointed 

 Rat Officers, are taking some steps to secure the observance of 

 the provisions of the Act, although their action has not taken a 

 very concrete form. In view of the urgent need for economy the 

 Ministry has ceased to press for the appointment of whole-time 

 Rat Officers, but is suggesting that some existing officer of the 

 Local Authority should undertake, in connection with his ordi- 

 nary duties, the task of enforcing the provisions of the Act so 

 far as it may be possible. 



A National Rat Week was held during the week 31st October 

 to 7th November last, as a result of which at least 23 Counties, 



