THAT CALF MONEY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 339, 28 September 1932, Page 3

THAT CALF MONEY

STARLINGS BLAMED FOR THEFTS FROM BOXES. GENUINE PROOF ALLEGED. Recently a paragraph, inspired by Peria farmers, appeared in the Matamata Record noting the fact that bobby calf money had been talcen from letter hoxes in which it had been dieposited hy huyers. Commenting on this, an experienced farmer related to a Record representative that it was very likely that starlings were the culprits, in that tbey had a hahit of flying to letterboxes and taking anything handy from these receptacles. He related an instance of how a drover one day noticed a starling fly from a box with something white in its bealc, which the bird dropped across the road hy the opposite fenee-line. Going over out of curiosity to see what it was, the drover found it was a docket wrapped round a few shillings. He at once took the mon'ey and docket to the farmer from whose box it was taken and explained the circumstances. When the matter was referred to an experienced ealf-buyer he at once confirmed thc statement made, and remarked that much trouble had heen caused hy moneys disappearing, and eventually the tbefts were traced to starlings. On one occasion a sum of 6s in silver, which had been wrapped in paper, was recovered after heing dropped hy a starling. The result wras that now, when leaving money for farmers, he always either deposited the cash in an empty tobacco tin, or else put it in the cream can. Since ' adopting this procedure there had heen no complaints.