SPARROW NUISANCE, KAIAPOI.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1717, 21 August 1879, Page 3

SPARROW NUISANCE, KAIAPOI.

A public meeting of farmers and persons interested in getting rid of the Bparrow pest, was held in the Farmers' Club chamber, Kaiapoi, on Monday evening. Eighteen persons were present. Mr T. Pashby, chairman of the club, who occupied the chair, stated the object for which the meeting was called, namely, to decide upon a means of getting rid of the sparrows which, if not destroyed, threaten to do away with any necessity for harvesting. If everyone joined in the determination to put them down, however, the evil might be lessened. Mr Wilson suggested that an agreement might be come to that all within a given district might bear a proportionate cost per acre to accomplish the end in view. Mr Beharrell was of opinion that as the attendance was not a large one, all interested should be asked to take the matter in hand, and on certain days put out as much poisoned grain as possible. After some conversation, ho moved —"That tho farmers of this district be invited by advertisement to co- operate in tho wholesale poisoning of sparrows on the 26th and 28th." Mr Parnham, who agreed with the proposition, seconded the same. He alluded to the sparrow curse, which was now so bad in adjoining districts that where they had previously laughed at the northern farmers, they were now writing to the Kaiapoi club for instructions to get rid of the nuisance. Mr Wilson stated the ninth letter had come to hand of that nature, which ho had answered by return post, and rrarked it " immediate," sojthat at tho earliest moment the vermin might be dealt with in the Russell's Flat district. The motion was agreed to. Messrs Morrin, Parnham, Young, Pinching, and Waiting stated the systems adopted by them of poisoning grain and distributing it. It waß thoa resolved that tho meeting recommends the following receipt for steeping a bushel of small or broken wheat or shelled oats: —loz strychnine, loz phosphorus or a large box of matches, It pints vinegar, and 2 gallons of boiling water ; boil the vinegar and dissolve the strychnine in it; dissolve the phosphorus or match heads in the hot water j mix the liquors and pour it on tho grain, stirring it well several times ; then place a cover over it to confine the steam; after twenty-four hours spread the grain during the evening in order that the Bparrows to be poisoned may come on it first thing in the morning.