The Mosquito Extermination Squad conducted enquiries into over 800 nnotifed cases of malaria, The result of such investigation revealed that many of the infected cases had resided sometime during the normal in. cupation period of the disease areas outside the Settlement. Several foreign patients had slept of house Boats in the Pootung area, whilst among Chinese eases it was noted that a large number had visited the Dazang and Nanziang districts where malaria had been reported! as being unusually prevalent, The homes and likely anopheline resting places surrounding" malaria cases were thoroughly" inspected and sprayed with insecticides. Special attention was given to the eradication of adult mosquitoes in and around. sqvatterhuts and refugee camps where mala ria had been reported.
Very successful results have beet obtained with the distribution amongst some 140 ornamental ponds of over 70,000 Gambusia finis mosquitosish taken from the Depart ment's fish hatcheries and stock ponds in the Western District, The periodic cal removal of excess bank vegete tion, permitting the fish to attack the mosquito larvae, has resulted in much Tess frequent discovery of the pupal. oF final stage of mosquito develop:
ornamental ponds which for 18 reasons, could not be sprayed Wilh oil-containing Iarvicides. Most private pond owners agreed to the Femoval of large non-larvivorous fish which would rapidly devour the smaller mosquito fish.
During the winter, many large ponds were filled in and low-lying swampy areas raised with house refuse by the Public Works Department. Where, by reason of possible fly breeding and smell nuisance, It was Inadvisable to use house refuse, cinders and filling in private ponds and raising land for school playgrounds. ets. the motor pump being employed 10 move excess water. Railway borrow. pits were filled in with gully deposits and mud removed in creek dredging.
'Squatter huts have further inereas-Jed in numbers compared with 1938, 'Approximately 11400 huts with estimated population of 110,000 are distributed' over the whole of the Western District. The Central and Northern Districts are clear with the exception of one large camp in nningham Road, whilst the astern District 1s practically without squatters, Pree water supplies, ordure and refuse removal and other necessary sanitary measures have been continued and the ce-operation of the squatters has been at all times readily obtained. The fire hazard is evi denced iby two large conflagrations during the year, and the reduction of refugees in registered refugee camps tends to Increase the numbers living in squatter huts. Offensive trades, stich as rag-picking. bristledrying and pig-breeding abound within the squarier areas, and creek. pollution {is also a serious nuisance, There were 5.811 licensed premises under the tion Division at the close of the work Inge year as compared with 8.111 last year, an increase of 127 per cent The rehabilitation of the Eastern an Northern areas. with Inge opportunities for has resulted in many premises xeceiving new leences.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.