Flies

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30347, 24 January 1964, Page 2

Flies

Sir, —I have read with interest the letters recently on flies. Whilst everyone commiserates, little constructive help is offered. As long ago as 1916 whilst fighting in Palestine, we were faced with the same problem but with far less effective means of combating it, as in those days there were no fly sprays or other means of attacking our winged enemy. However, difficulties were made to be overcome, so our colonel gave out through battalion orders that every man (including officers) would parade twice a day with his kill of 10 head of flies. These were collected in large drums, petrol poured over and ignited. Each man therefore exterminated 20 flies a day—there were about 1000 men in a regiment, making 20,000 flies wiped out each day. I suggest that headmasters of all schools should be circularised by the Ministry of Health and the idea explained. As Christchurch becomes “fly-free,” the daily catch would have to be reduced, of course, until the happy day arrived when the daily quota called for one fly a child a day.—Yours, etc., GEORGES QUI RIL. January 19, 1964.