SWATTING FLIES

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1927, Page 4

SWATTING FLIES

CHILDREN KILL 3.000.000. SYDNEY. Nov. 25. \\ ith tht* ml vent of summer each .vear, 1111 enterprising Melbourne newspaper conducts, in conjunction witli Health Week, a competition for boys and girls for the champion ‘‘swatters’’ of flies. “Swat that tly"—a course so earnestly advocated by ihe Australian Health authorities- becomes the slogan of hundreds of homes, where there are hoys and girls. On the day that this year’s compel ition ended, hundreds of youngsters flocked into the newspaper office tor their ‘‘hags’’ to Ik* counted. Kiddies brought flies in petrol tins, paper hags, and boxes. When at length dozens of checkers had completed this task, it was found that the kiddies’ efforts had been responsible for ridding the world of more than ti.ttOO.OtlO flies. The winner of the competition was a ten-year-old hov. Vincent PalaiiKirn. who proudly produced evidence that lie had “swatted’’ 2G(i.(li!3 Hies during his week of slaughter. Second prize went to a hoy who accounted for !)B.(K*3. and third to another hoy. who killed 04.000. Winners of consolation prizes had collections ranging from Utt.OUO to .18.01)0. HOY’S I3ACI OF 260,000.

The winner of the competition told an ingenious story of how lie had caught his “hag.” He made five bundles of rope and placed meat and fisli pones in the tangle. Then lie hullg the bundles in a shed. Every evening lire would put a bag over the hanging ropes. Then lie would close the bag at the neck with string, shake it hard and pull the bag off. He would then heat the hag with a stick. For four days lie worked hard at his scheme anil slowly tilled a kerosene tin with dead Hies