STATE ENTERPRISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 225, 23 September 1929, Page 3

STATE ENTERPRISE.

CANBERRA'S FLY-TRAP.

COST £250, BUT FAILED.

WORKMA2s*S 15/ TRAP SUCCEEDS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 19. Canberra residents have been amused for several months past at the efforts of the Federal Capital Commission to catch flies. The flies became a pest in the vicinity of the city abattoirs during last summer, and it was decided to erect a trap for them. The trap was constructed, in an elaborate fashion, at a cost of £250. It was a complicated affair, and when erected was considered to be most unsightly. If was in operation during last summer, but despite the numerous attractions offered to flies to enter the trap, it did not abate the nuisance. In fact, it was found that instead of the fly mortality decreasing, as was hopefully anticipated, the birth-rate appeared to be definitely on the up-grade.

One of the workmen asked permission of the commission to erect a fly-trap of his own invention. It was constructed from an oil drum, and the cost of its construction was only 15/.

Nevertheless after it had been in operation for only a few weeks, it was found when emptied to have trapped move than 1,000,000 flies. In the £250 trap the dead flies weighed only five ounces after the trap had been in operation for six months.