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" (3) The construction of new fountains and tanks within the
" limits of the City should he prohibited.
" (4) The use of garden tanks and tubs should he subject to
"regulation and their multiplication should be restricted.
" (e) Having taken steps to prevent the increase of potential breeding
" places it will be possible to set about the reduction of those already in
" existence with some hope of success. Among existing potential breeding
" places cisterns are the most easily dealt with, as they are a comparatively
" modern innovation. Cisterns at present existing in the City may he
" roughly divided into three types—
" (A) Open cisterns.
" (B) Closed cisterns, possessing a manhole or other opening for
" which a loose lid or hinged door is provided.
" (C) Cisterns possessing, in addition to a manhole, a raised box
" for the accommodation of the ball float and valve. This valve-box is
" usually closed by a rough lid which rarely fits properly.
" In the light of our present knowledge the danger of open cisterns is
"so great that the erection of any more of this type should be absolutely
" prohibited and steps should be taken to have those at present in existence
" adequately protected. In the case of cisterns of types B and C it is
" essential that all openings should be closed in such a manner that no
" mosquito can gain access to them. Manhole or valve-box lids, which
" must be well fitted, should be bolted down, and on no account must
" the supply pipe be taken into the cistern through the manhole. When
"the regulation of cisterns has been carried out and the faulty ones
" have been corrected, all danger from these sources will have been removed,
" and beyond occasional inspection their control can be left in the hands of
" the Water Department, whose inspectors should be instructed to report
" any irregularity which they may discover.
" (f) The question of dealing with open wells, fountains, tanks and
"garden tubs is a more difficult one, and it is probable that it may he
" simplified somewhat by requiring all owners of such potential breeding
" places to register them and if necessary to take out a license.
" (g) It is possible that a workable scheme for the control of potential
" permanent breeding places may be evolved on the following lines:—
"(1) All owners of open or temporarily closed wells, cisterns,
" fountains, tanks, garden tubs, barrels and vessels used for the storing
" of water should be required to register the same.
" (2) All collections of water of this nature which may offer
" facilities for the breeding of mosquitoes should be licensed and subject
" to periodical inspection.
" (3) The license should be renewable yearly.
" (4) The Municipal Commissioner should have the power to close,
" cover, remove or fill up any unlicensed collection of water of this
" nature after due notice to the owner of the same, and the cost of such
" work should be recoverable from the owner.
" (5) No collection of water of this nature which could be shewn
" to contain mosquito larvae should be licensed.
" (6) The license for any collection of water of the above nature
" which becomes infected with mosquito larvae, should be cancelled,
" unless after due notice the licensee has taken the necessary measures
" for getting rid of the mosquito larvae and protecting the water in
" future, to the complete satisfaction of the proper authorities.
" (7) Permanently covered wells and fountains, which have been
" converted into flower beds, should not require a license.
" (h) It is probable that the immediate effect of such a scheme once
" it were put in operation would be automatically to reduce the number of
" potential breeding places that at present exist, for owners of such collections
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