LOSS OF BIRDS BY POISONING

Southland Times, Issue 23651, 28 October 1938, Page 8

LOSS OF BIRDS BY POISONING

New Arrangement To Deal With Rabbits

SOAKING OF VEGETABLES IN SOLUTION (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 27. An arrangement has been made between the Departments of Agriculture and Internal Affairs which should lessen the toll by poisoning of native birds, pheasants and other game birds. Instead of phosphorized pollard for the destruction of rabbits in a large part of the wide area of the Rotorua acclimatization district, turnips and carrots soaked in a solution of strychnine will be used. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) said today that he felt the new method of dealing with the rabbit pest would not -only save many hundreds of native and game birds, but would be as efficacious in killing rabbits as phosphorized pollard. “I suppose it would be a rare find, remarked Mr Parry, “to come across a regular game sportsman who had not at some time when travelling over the fields of the north found a pheasant or two poisoned by eating phosphorized pollard. The game branch of the Department of Internal Affairs has been trying for many months to bring about the change of poison for rabbits now happily decided on.”