The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1885. THE SMALL BIRD NUISANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 96, 26 March 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1885. THE SMALL BIRD NUISANCE.

It is apparent that the small bird nuisance is not diminishing to any appreciable extent. At thVlast meeting of the Sandon and Carnarvon Road Board, Warden Sanbon moved, "That an order be given by the clerk to the settlers residing m the SandanUarnarvon Road District to obtain strychnine for the purpose of des-j troying small birds within the said district, at a cost of 2s 6d per ounce." '\ He said that there were 20, 0G0 acres of grain m the Sandon-Oarnarvon/ district, and of this at least a quarter of a busliel per acre was destroyed by the fimall birds, which would make 5000 bushels. At 3s per bushel this would represent £750, but- that was not the total cost During the reaping and the gathering mof the grain the birds destroyed at least a quarter of a bushel per ' acre more — a very : moderate estimate, and this, together with the first loss, represented a to— i tal loss of 4,1,500, a very serious mat I ter. It was, moreover, > certain that the birds rapidly increased during the J year. Last year very little was done m the way of destroying the birds, and but a small quantity of poison was laid, and, as a consequence, the birds were going about like swarms of bees. The Chairman seconded the motion,, and agreed with what the mover had. stated. Warden Davis, m supporng the resolution, stated that m Southland the farmers had given up cropping to si very large extent, and only here and there was there to be seen a, field of corn. When he was down, there, the birds swarmed m such numbers that they frightened the horses It has been clear to us for some time pnst that unless the farmers take combined notion. in the mutter of the extermination of the small birds tinspasmodic efforts of a few individuals will avail but little, and m timo the* disastrous effects will be equal to the; , rabbit plague,