The Press SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1964. Too Many Flies

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 14

The Press SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1964. Too Many Flies

Christchurch has too many flies. There is no excuse for a situation which the senior district inspector of health can describe as the worst in New Zealand and for which there are simple precautions. Correspondents in letters to the editor of “ The Press ” have said that if countries in Asia and South-east Asia can rid themselves of the common fly then surely New Zealand can do so too. It is not quite as simple as that. Because of our climate, predators which destroy the fly have not been established here. But we can do much to help ourselves. Because of diligent but careless gardeners, Christchurch has a superabundance of these annoying and disease-carrying pests. The advice given is sound enough: cover rubbish and compost heaps

with earth; dig lawn cuttings into gardens or spread them thinly; use insecticides against the flies that still survive. Another suggested remedy is the spraying of compost heaps with a solution of Condy’s crystals. Well made fowlhouses are not difficult to keep clean and their walls can be sprayed to kill the flies that settle on them. Household rubbish can be covered or buried. Civic authorities take trouble to see that their rubbish dumps cause as little offence as possible. Individual citizens, who are quick to complain of the lapses of their councils, should do no less. Pride in the houses and gardens of our city is justifiable; but it must be greatly diminished while citizens can be said to live in the most fly-ridden city in the country.