Statutory Instruments

1958 No. 24

ANIMALS

The Small Ground Vermin Traps Order, 1958

Made

6th January 1958

Laid before Parliament

13th January 1958

Coming into Operation

1st February 1958

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in exercise of the powers vested in him by section 8 of the Pests Act, 1954 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:-

Citation, Commencement and Interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Small Ground Vermin Traps Order, 1958, and shall come into operation on the first day of February, 1958.

(2) The Interpretation Act, 1889 shall apply to the interpretation of this Order as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.

Traps for Rats, Mice and other Small Ground Vermin

2. The traps referred to in the Schedule to this Order are, for the purposes of subsection (5) of section 8 of the Pests Act, 1954, hereby specified as being adapted solely for the destruction of rats, mice or other small ground vermin.

In witness whereof the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is hereunto affixed this sixth day of January, nineteen hundred and fifty-eight.

L.S.

D. Heathcoat Amory

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

SCHEDULE

1. Spring traps known as break-back traps and commonly used for the destruction of rats, mice or other small ground vermin.

2. Spring traps of the kind commonly used for catching moles in their runs.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Subsection (1) of section 8 of the Pests Act, 1954 provides that after the 31st July, 1958 it shall be an offence to use for the purpose of killing or taking animals a spring trap other than one approved by order of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The subsection does not, however, apply to traps specified by the Minister as being adapted solely for the destruction of rats, mice or other small ground vermin. By this Order the Minister so specifies two types of small vermin trap commonly in use.