FRIENDS OR FOES?

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 36, 10 February 1906, Page 11

FRIENDS OR FOES?

■ HEW _XAI___ND'S FEATHERED IMMIGRAirrS. WAS THEIR INTRODUCTION A MISTAKE? (By J. DRUMMOND. [Copyright.] VI. THE SMALL BIRDS AS A COMPANY. A mass of evidence is brought for and against the company of small birds as a whole, apart from individual species. Most of the information on this point is supplied in reply to the eighteenth question on the circular, which is as follows:—"Generally speaking, have the introduced birds done more good than harm or more barm than good? A typical reply is from Wairere, Wairarapa North: "As with most aliens it would be better if they had stayed at home." The same sentiment is expressed in other words many times. [One correspondent, says that the introduction of English birds, taking them together, was "a terrible mistake." Another says: "For goodness sake, don't make it worse by importing any more of them." A fruit-grower at Patutahi, Poverty Bay, refuses to give his views, as the space left in the circular for tbe reply to the question is far too limited to enable him to say all he wants to say. The Lower Hutt, in the Wellington district, is a market gardening centre, and the following catalogue of a resident's grievances, together with his general sweeping statement, seems to show that the small birds are particularly numerous there:—"One acre of cabbage and cauliflower plants destroyed entirely last year; vegetable garden seeds picked out, necessitating netting; currants entirely eaten up; cannot ripen one gooseberry; raspberries saved with the greatest difficulty, by picking twice daily; impossible to grow wheat, quarter-acre picked absolutely clean last year; oats pulled out when about two inches high, and have to sow double quantities, to illow for destruction ; whole trcefuls of the best sorts of nlums. destroyed. The destruction, in short, is so great as to seriously interfere with cropping arrangements, to bar several valuable lines, and to render gardening, both domestic and' market, simply heartbreaking." At Ellesmere (Canterbury) and Fendalton (one of the suburbs of Christchurch) it is impossible to grow barley of a good malting sample, as the farmer cannot sow it at the right season, or the birds will take the whole crop. Farmers in the Lincoln district (North Canterbury) generally agree to sow their wheat at about the same time, so that the birds' attacks will be fairly divided. "If one of us had an early crop," a farmer in that district says, "all the birds would concentrate their efforts upon it, and they would have it eaten up very soon; but when we act in concert, the birds bestow their attention over the whole area, and one farmer does not have to bear the whole of the brunt." The replies to the eighteenth question, in fact, leave no doubt whatever that a vast majority of the classes of the community roost interested in the doings of the birds firmly believe that their introduction was a disastrous mistake, that they do immeasurably : more harm than good, and that their banishment, if it was possible, would be exceedingly desirable. The consensus of opinion is expressed in too clear, concise and emphatic a manner to leave my shadow of doubt as to the stron? antagonism felt towards English birds. Man 3- fanners, however, mo-lify their c-ondemnalion hy expressinc an opinion that if the bird- co'.ild be kept in check l hey wo"ld be .converted fi-um enemies o friends. I cannot help thinking that that is *be proper attitude to adopt. The birds are far from being altogether bad. A forgetful generatio" may have a short memory, but. great services given in the past must not be ignored when the birds are on their trial. ESTIMATED DAMAGE. Attempt?! have been made to estimate the damage, done, by the birds and to place a value, on it. At a conference of local bodies held in Christehureh to consider the best means of dealing -with the nuisance, the damage was set down at 5/ per acre, on cultivated land. It the average, throughout the colony was only half that sum, the total loss* must be enormous, as last year the total area under crop in the colony was 1,494,722 acres, 661,926 acres being in grain crops. Besides that total there were 17.176 acres in garden and 27,482 in orchard. HOW TO KEEP SMALL BIRDS IN CHECK. Some of the inquiries were directed towards ascertaining what steps have been taken to keep the birds in check, and what success has been achieved. The plan most favoured is the laying of poisoned grain and the payment for heads and egga. This plan seems to have been fairly effective, when combined action is taken, but it has often failed where there is lack of combination. The natural increase is checked by this means, but there are few instances of any material diminution in numbers having been made. In the orchards in the North Island the gun is used. At the Bird Sanctuary on Little Barrier Island, the nests of blackbirds, thrushes, sparrows and finches are destroyed when opportunities occur, ahd it is thought that this probably keeps the ISngiish birds in cheek on tbe island.

In several districts heads and eggs are paid for, and poisoned wheat is distributed free by local authorities. In other districts netting is resorted to. Some local bodies pay for heads, eggs and young. Mr J; Wolfe, a Lincoln (North Canterbury) farmer, states that the system of purchase has the desired effectto a great extent. He also informed mc that he was the first to use strychnine poison in the district, having commenced to do so twenty-six years ago, and he has been poisoning ever since, with good results. A very miscellaneous lot of suggestions are offerejd as to the best means of cheeking the nuisance. A gentleman a.t Temuka has prepared a scheme providing for legislation to compel all land- ' owners to produce a certain number of sparrows during the winter months. Several farmers suggest that long nets, such as bird-catchers use, could be brought into requisition by capable men with effect. The Government is recommended to give a bonus for the production of a poison that will be readily eaten by the birds, and one correspondent thinks that a bonus should be given for the best trap. There is a strong feeling in favour of the introduction of English owls, sparrow-hawks and other birds of prey. A practical observation is that the towns ought to be compelled to do more than at present, as they are breeding-places, from which the birds swartn into the country districts. Among the most novel suggestions are the systematic employment of armies of small boys at nesting and the use of electric wires stretched round fields of crops, the wires to be charged with electricity, in order to give the birds severe shocks. The most practical scheme, and the, one that is evidently more acceptable than any other, is thorough and systematic poisoning. The whole operation it is urged should be controlled by the Agricultural Department, which should be armed with compulsory powers, so that it could compel all fanners in one district to act in unison. (To be Continued.) .