HIGH COUNTRY RAIDERS

Evening Star, Issue 21836, 27 September 1934, Page 6

HIGH COUNTRY RAIDERS

GREAT DAMAGE BY REAS ISrECIAL TO THE ‘ STAB.’] CHRISTCHURCH, September ; >7. Strong resentment of the recently n üblisljccl statements that koas arc harmless, playful birds, which do no damage to sheep was expressed at a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Sheep Owners’ Union yesterday. Several letters were received from high-country runholderg giving details of damage done in certain districts by the birds. Letters were received from Marlborough, Lake Wakatipu, Otago, and the Mackenzie Country reporting that keas were increasing in numbers, and that losses were heavy. It was stated that 1100 hoggets had been killed on a Marlborough run by keas, and that losses were expected to be heavy again this year. Although the greatest damage was done when there was a shortage of food, and when snow lay on the ground, there were instances of sheep mustered in midsummer having been attacked, in some cases as many as 20 to 25 per cent, of the flocks showing signs of having been molested. “Tt was reported that subsidies were being paid by runbolders. and in some cases by local bodies for the destruction of keas. hut the Covernment had advised that no funds were available at present to pay the usual bonus.