WAR AGAINST WILD PIGS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28750, 22 November 1958, Page 14

WAR AGAINST WILD PIGS

Poisoned Carcases Dropped By Air

(Neto Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI. November 21. Aerial drops of poisoned sheep carcases are the latest weapon in the Waitotara Valley farmers’ war against marauding pigs. Today, a Wanganui-based plane, dropped phosphorus-loaded sheep carcases into inaccessible country, infested by wild pigs. Pigs which eat the poisoned carcases will die. In turn, other pigs will eat the dead pigs, and experiments have shown that the carcases of the dead pigs contain enough phosphorus for them to be toxic to other pigs. Today freshly-killed and still warm sheep were injected with a phosphorus compound and tied to a fence post. The plane is fitted with fence-dropping gear on the wings, and two posts and carcases were attached to these. The plane flew low over ridges—the pigs’ "highways” in the dense, precipitous country—and dropped the baits in a carefully plotted spot.

Globemaster Picture. — A handsome picture of a Globemaster in flight was yesterday presented to the City Council by the ViceCommander and Chief of Staff of the United States Military Air Transport Service (Major-General Frederic E. Glantzberg) in appreciation of co-operation and friendship received in Christchurch during operations this season.