THE SPARROW DIFFICULTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8064, 27 September 1887, Page 3

THE SPARROW DIFFICULTY.

It is imposirible not to perceive that the spurrow is a growing evil,, says the Australasian, It is evident that unlets it can be entirely goti rid of it will prove, like the rabbit, a moils ooßfily infliction for the country. Fruit-growers) will be arable to carry on thoir occupation at a profit, and wheat-growing will become at lost industry, for sparrows will deioend in millions upon the crops, and leave bat • tithe of the yield. In England sparrow clubs have been formed In muny parts, and members receive payment at so much per dozen heads, the, one who brings the largest number of heads in a quarter of a year obtaining, in addition, a prize. In the breeding season, i.e., through the spring and Bummer, large numbers of the fully-fledged young are caught in funnel traps made of unskinned osiers, into which they are allured by bunches of currants, cherries, &a., partly suipended thorugh the top, and breadcrumbs over the bottom. Very rarely are old birds thus caught, but these traps are often emptied twioe or thrioe a day—a course which is desirable lest the young birds also become too wary. Poison is very rarely resorted to at home, owing to the danger of having it taken by domestic animals and fowls, and also of the destruction of cats through eating poisoned sparrows. In thin country the practice of poisoning sparrows has often oleared off the cats, and has thus led to an immense increase of the sparrow pest. Before the cats can be bred up again the sparrows have increased by tens of thousands. Rats and mice, the latter more especially in fields and orchards, hare also become highly destructive. At a recent deputation on the sparrow question to the Adelaide Government, the Treasurer informed the members before him that " in the neighbourhood of Melbourne the gardeners clubbed together and paid sc much per head to a fund. They fixed on i spot where the aparrowa were fairly numerous, and no fowls were in tin neighbourhood, and fed them regularly fot about a month. At last one day they poisoned the grain, and fed it to the un« suspecting sparrows with a most destructive result." Our readers have heard of the proposal before, but not of it having been realised. Tire South Australian deputation of fruit-growers and others interested in the sparrow question came prepared with a series of resolutions they had passed at a recent meeting held to consider the subject; these, as will be seen, had for their object legislation against the birds. The resolutions were as follows :—

1. That the Government be requested! ti bring in a Bill for the destruction of sparrows. 2. That in all districts were sparrows are known to exist the corporations or district oounoils shall make a special rata to be for the payment for the eggs and heads of the birds, and for the defrayal of other expenses incurred in their destruction. 3. Ifaat a certain number of men in each district be licensed by the district councils or corporations to carry on the occupation of sparrow-catchers, and that they may be em* powered to go on to private lands upon giving such notice as may be deemed necessary during the day-time in the pursuit of their calling, and that they be paid at a fixed rat» for all eggs and heads of sparrows they may obtain. 4. That owners of property shall allow lioensed sparrow-catchers and a sufficient number of assistants to go on to their property at night up to ten o'clock for the purpose of catching sparrows with nets. 5. That all houses and buildings be examined by a person appointed for the purpose in each district to see that all inaccessible places where sparrows oan breed be effectually closed by wire netting or otherwise." The powers proposed, to be conferred on sparrow-catchers to enter upon private property with a sufficient number of assistants, &0., up to ten o'clock at night, will be regarded by most property owners; as not only an unjustifiable interference with the rights of property, but as a method of in* creating burglaries and robberies generally. The evidence tendered by the deputation went to show that whilst payment was made for head is and eggs the sparrows were prevented from increasing, but that since the State had discontinued that practice the birds had increased to enormous numbers. Mr. Hardy, who had lately advocated the planting of vineyards and orchards, had now begun tf fear he had made a mistake in doing so, and unless the sparrows are destroyed, those who plant will never reap the fruit of their labours. ISi will be noted that the deputation ask for power to rate themselves and others in order to keep down the evil ; they do not ask for money from the Government. And yet, as they did not introduce the pest, it deems hard that they should be put to the entire cost of dealing with it. Unlike phylloxera and some other pest, sparrows mey be in one place at this moment and half a mile distant a few minutes later ; thus no person oan equitably be made responsible for any partioular cloud of sparrows that may be • present on hia property. It is true that few persona are now taking pains to destroy nests or prevent sparrows from breeding in Victoria as it is of residents in South Australia, Payment for heads and eggs has been discontinued in both colonies ; in Victoria be* cause those shires which adopted the plan had to pay for heads and eggs produced! in other shires, in addition to those in their own. This difficulty might be obviated by making it compulsory for all shires to receive and pay for eggs and sparrows of all ages. Victorian fruit-growers will act wisely it meeting and taking counsel together regard; ing the best steps to be taken to stop the in' crease of the sparrow nuisance and keep I permanently in check.