THE KEA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 224, 10 June 1918, Page 8

THE KEA

MEK.VCI-: TO StIICEPI-'AUMEKi. Mr. W. .11. Skinner, Commiicioiier of C'wiwn Lands in Canterbury, lias received further reports of eorioua losses inflicted, on .-ihoepfarniers in liijlt coiin-. try by the ken. Tho bird has increased so greatly this year, and has i become ao monaciiiK that" Mr. Skinner feels that steps Bhoulil be- taken systematically to destroy it. Ju some districts, apparently, it is almost rivalling' the rabbit aa a first-class jic-st. Mr: \V. T. Hush, man'aaer of St. James Siation, Banmer Springs, has written to Mr. Skinner, slating 'that the. ken. has notably increased in"his 'district during the past year. Ho accounts for this by recent mild winters. last year he paid for HO heads. Burins the past eijrht months he has pnkl for till heads. As the price is Ss. a head the kea is proving a costlv pest 011 the station. "Most of the other stations in this district," Mr. Bush says, "are breeding kens and arc paving nothing. I think that the Bird iNuisances Act should be enforced,- in order that ail who have kens on their properties should be compelled to kill them." ]n the ".Pastoralistp' Iteview" of March last a. writer, over the initials "(KJ.'tV referring to keas at St. James Station, aavs:—"Things cannot «o on as they are. The pest grows worse. Tho man who is meetidg the trouble, facing it. and trying to srt've the indn«tiy that gives a livin? lo him and his employee? is carrying a heavy burden, and bearing it without hope o'f relief from his neighbours. The wriler ctuggcsU that rabbit inspector* should he empowered to serve notices to keep down teas in the same way ■a-* thev serve notices about briar and rabbits. He adds that, kea hunting is so unaftractive thai: offers of 3ns?. a week; with free tent, stores, and ammunition, in addition to ss. a head, have received no answers.