Council’s Efforts To Beat Seagulls

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30447, 22 May 1964, Page 1

Council’s Efforts To Beat Seagulls

In spite of criticism to the contrary, the Waimairi County Council had dohe everything in its power to combat the seagull menace at its rubbish pit near the airport, said Cr. A. A. Adcock at the monthly meeting of the Waimairi County Council last evening.

The problem had arisen, he said, because the county provided dumping facilities for many persons from a wide area during the week-ends. The chairman (Mr J. 1. Colligan) said the council was most concerned about the safe operation of aircraft in the area and suggested that a sub-committee should meet the City Council with a view to making a joint effort to solve the problem. It was suggested' that a compost

machine could be used to handle household refuse.

The council supported Mr Colligan’s motion. The City Council’s works committee had suggested that the pit be filled and closed as*quickly as possible. The county engineer (Mr I. Calvert) reported it was impossible to keep the present face of the pit covered without diverting extra men and equipment and providing greater quantities of spoil daily for the task. This, he said-, would prove to be a most uneconomic proposition and it was doubtful if the City Council would be prepared to meet the higher costs involved if it were permitted to dump its rubbish and household refuse in the pit.

He was sure the seagull menace would still exist, said Mr Calvert, as the gulls were attracted in large quantities by farm ploughing in the vicinity. The pit itself was simply an added attraction.

The council was doing all it could to eliminate the menace by using a “scare gun” and covering refuse as soon as was possible, he said.