BEES IN PILLAR BOX

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 8, 20 December 1933, Page 4

BEES IN PILLAR BOX

SWARM IN SYDNEY STREET. OBSTACLE TO TRAFFIC. A swarm of bees settled on a pilarbox in Elizabeth street, in Sydney, near the Supreme Court, recently. They flew among the passengers in trams travelling along Elizabeth street and King street. Some of the bees buzzed around in the caves of the Supreme Court. Others flew in and out among traffic, adding a new danger to the difficulties of ear-driving in the city. Most of the bees followed the queen bee, and settled on the outside of the pillar-box, while some of them flew down the slit into the box. itself. In a few minutes the bees were a source of fear. Hundreds of them flew about, and their buzzling frightened pedestrians. A constable, who was on duty, procured a box and managed to place most of the bees in it. The box was covered and the major danger was removed. The pillar-box was to be cleared at about 2 p.m. As the postal officer drew up in his lorry to collect the mails no heard a warning noise. Bees still in the pillar-box buzzed resentment at being disturbed, and the postman decided that pacifying bees was not a routine matter. Ho returned to the G.P.O. for instructions Mr. V. F. Christensen, of the telephone branch, is a wcl-known beekeeper. He was sent to Elizabeth street with instructions “to get the mails.” Mr. Christensen decided that the best way to quieten the bees was to overcome them with smoke. A handful Of nil-soaked waste was placed in the pillar-box. and tho mails were then removed. It was some time before Ihe bees all left. It is thought that the bees came from either the Bjtanic Gardens or from Darling Point. I