SMALL BIRD NUISANCE.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1146, 12 February 1903, Page 2

SMALL BIRD NUISANCE.

POWERS OF LOCAL BODIES. At Friday's meeting of the Southland County Council, the clerk submitted the following summary of procedure under the Bird Nuisance Act, 1902:—The Council haß already approved of the proposed Bird Nuisance District embracing Southland, Wallace, Lake, and Fiord Counties. One delegate is to be appointed by each of the local authorities (Counties), to meet whom the Government may appoint, such conference to decido on a time and method for bird destruction, and recommend same. The Government may then direotthe local authorities in such district to adopt the time and method recommended by them. Local authorities may adopt additional methods, appoint inspectors, make bylaws and a general rate on capital value or equivalent on unimproved value. Such rating power is not subject to limitations The Act provides for laying poison on roads, subject to notice to ratepayers, and their written ooment in certain cases must be obtained. The Government may make regulations on all matters connected with conferences and methods. Poison is not to be laid within 300 yds of an inhabited house without written consent of the owner. The latter provision is a practical bar to efficient poisoning. Also, the responsibility of coping with the evjl in municipalities, whjch are the breeding grounds of sparrows, and where they are easily accessible at certain seasons in millions.—The report was approved, and ordered to be laid on the table.