Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia.

  • Western Australia. Public Health Department
Date:
[1964]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    73/94 (page 71)
    (i) Extension of use of Bore-hole unit and reduction in pan services. Comparative Figures of Pan Premises Serviced 1958 9,000 1960 6,800 1962 1,388 1964 987 N.B. Of the total figure, all services now remaining are in rural areas with no water service, pensioners, or certain locations, e.g., public baths with a restricted tenure. 2. SUB-DIVISION OF LAND The years activities were as follows :— Proposals for Sub-Division Metropolitan - - .... 462 Country .... 40 State Housing Commission 38 Area Surveys 21 Appeals .... 22 Taxation Department .... 14 Industrial Development Department 3 Public Works Department ... - - .... 2 General enquiries, Local Authorities, Land Agents, etc. 217 Total .... ... . .... .... 819 3. ROYAL SHOW Annual inspection duties at the Royal Show were again the responsibility of the Inspection staff of the Public Health Department. All aspects of food handling, fly control and Show Ground sanitation received constant attention and were competently handled by five (5) Departmental Officers. The high standard attained during Royal Show Week can and should be accepted and applied by the many Local Authorities, who have similar responsibilities on a smaller scale, within their districts. 4. FLY CONTROL Numerous Metropolitan and some Country districts again participated in a Fly Control Campaign in co¬ operation with the Public Health Department. Forty University students were employed for periods from four to eight weeks. Nineteen Local Authorities participated. A total of 39,059 premises were visited with 3,821 breeding sites being located in these premises. A detailed report is appended to this report as Appendix A. 5. MOSQUITO CONTROL Limited activities in this field continued during 1964, following the comprehensive report submitted in 1963. Special investigations into selected fields of mosquito control were commenced during the year. Details are as follows :— (a) Preparation of estimates for dredging, filling and draining of potential mosquito breeding sites along the Swan, Canning and Helena Rivers, by the Local Authorities concerned. The com¬ pilation of these estimates was far more difficult than anticipated. (b) Progress of elimination of potential mosquito breeding sites along the Swan and Canning Rivers and fresh water swamps by dredging and filling, and sanitary land-fill. (c) Maintenance of temporary control of potential mosquito breeding sites along rivers and in swamps, by the use of larvae destroying fish, oils and insecticides. (d) Repeal of legislation requiring the fitting of induct vents to septic tank and waste water disposal systems. (e) Experiments carried out :— (i) Septic tanks :— (a) Regular use of insecticides. (b) Screening of educt vents. (ii) Street storm water gullies using pervious blocks impregnated with insecticides. (iii) Bunding of low lying river flats to prevent tidal flooding. (iv) Vegetation control in fresh water swamps using weedicides. — (v) Fish in impermanent swamp water.