Another Drinks Poison When "Tommies" Leave The Public Health Department of the S.M.C. yesterday reported that flies do not appear to be numerous this year, though it is too early to venture anything in the way of a prediction, as they are "in season" until the end of October. The Public Health Department has had more success this summer in dealing with flies in dried goods shops and fruit shops than ever before. These shops, which sell sugar and other attractive varieties of fly food, have all been induced to provide fly traps and food covers, the latter being particularly necessary where ready cooked food is on display.
Experience has shown that the simple glass bottle fly trap is probably the most economical and practical for the purpose. Half filled with soapy water every morning, and suitably baited with a morsel of decaying fruit (banana and pour are both very effective), these traps are within an hour of two literally seething with doomed members of the local fly population; at least that is what used fo happen earlier in the summer when flies were more in evidence.
About 100 recalcitrant licensees were unwilling at one time to assume their proper responsibility towards the health of the community in undertaking fly prevention activities, and prosecutions had to be initiated as a last resort, In spite of the increased cost of the glass bottle, compared with last year's prices, it is estimated that nearly five thousand are in use today in licensed premises, the larger premises, of course, accounting for two or three bottles apiece.
Food covers, in shops where cooked and prepared foods are exposed for sale, approximate three thousand.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.