cases  need  no':  be  troubled  about ;  but  when  they  are,  they  should 
be  dealt  with  on  similar  lines.  Clear  away  all  grass  and  weeds, 
deepen  the  edges,  and  where  possible  form  small  embankments.  Use 
kerosene  oil  when  the  water  is  not  used  as  a  water  supply.  In  certain 
waters  larval-feeding  fishes,  ‘  ticky-tickies,’  &c.,  are  to  be  found. 
These  should  be  encouraged  and  protected  as  far  as  possible,  but 
they  are  a  less  reliable  defence  than  oil. 
(4)  Accidental  and  temporary  pools.  These  should  be  filled  up 
with  earth  or  stones  where  possible  ;  if  not,  oiled  twice  a  week. 
(,5)  Wells.  These  should  be  kept  clean  and  free  from  growths 
round  the  edges,  and  in  addition  should  be  screened  by  being  provided 
with  a  wire  gauze  cover.  It  should  also  be  made  compulsory  to 
screen  all  barrels,  tanks  and  other  receptacles  for  storing  water,  as 
these  breed  other  and  harmful  varieties  of  the  mosquito. 
(6)  Now  we  come  to  drainage  trenches  in  banana  plantations, 
and  1  have  already  indicated  the  treatment.  Keep  them  free  from 
grass  and  weeds,  and  oil  where  necessary.  The  oil  will  not  harm  the 
bananas,  and  cleaning  the  trenches  will  benefit  them.  On  each 
estate  there  should  be  at  least  one  ‘  mosquito  ’  coolie,  whose  sole 
duty  it  should  be  to  oil,  and  to  report  on  all  mosquito-breeding  places. 
It  is  very  simple  to  teach  him  to  recognise  the  haunts  of  the  mosquito, 
and  an  energetic  ‘  busha  ’  will  have  no  difficulty  in  knowing  when  the 
work  is  being  thoroughly  done. 
(7)  Irrigation  canals.  All  that  can  be  done  is  to  keep  the  canals 
clear  of  weeds,  to  so  plan  them  than  the  gradient  is  even,  and  treat 
outlying  pools  with  kerosene. 
Legislation 
But  these  public  measures  will  be  hampered  and  to  some  extent 
neutralised  if  private  individuals  are  to  be  allowed  to  breed  mosquito 
larvae  in  their  compounds.  I  regard  it,  then,  as  imperative,  that 
legislation  should  be  introduced  without  delay,  making  it  a  punish¬ 
able  offence  to  have  mosquito  larvae  in  any  collection  of  water  in  a 
compound,  that  is  to  say,  this  particular  insanitary  condition  should 
be  placed  in  the  same  category  as  any  ordinary  ‘  nuisance,’  which  at 
present  can  be  dealt  with  by  law.  No  doubt  opposition  will  be 
