356 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



them not only to destroy Sparrows themselves, but to enforce it upon others. Some- 

 thing- would have to be done with the Sparrow nuisance, which was as bad as the 

 rabbits had been at Kapunda some years ago. If the Sparrows increased they would 

 not be able to produce fruit of such line quality as to enable them to dispose of it in 

 tbe English market as well as in the other colonies. 



Mr. T. Hardy, J. P., who initiated the resolutions, had taken a great interest in the 

 matter. He had been a member of the royal commission some time ago which recom- 

 mended the Bray Government to bring in a bill ordering the destruction of Sparrows, 

 and in the mean time to continue the payment for heads and eggs. The Colton Gov- 

 ernment put a stop to the payment, and since that the nuisance had increased tenfold. 

 If they continued to increase at the present rate the growth of soft fruits would not 

 be particularly profitable. He had advocated fruit-growing to many people, but he 

 was beginning to think he had made a mistake. They must have prompt, vigorous, 

 and decisive action. He hoped in the mean time payment for heads and eggs would 

 be resumed. 



Mr. G. F. Ind said there could be no two opinions as to the necessity of checking 

 the further increase of Sparrows. Individuals had tried various modes in all parts, 

 but what was the use ? If, for instance, he destroyed them on his own property, his 

 neighbor took no trouble and allowed the birds to breed on his property as fast as they 

 were killed anywhere else. Personally he had done his best to cope with the pest 

 and had paid a man half wages, found him in powder and shot, and, in addition, paid 

 for the heads he produced, but even that was useless while the birds bred on the ad- 

 joining land. While payment was awarded for the heads and eggs by the Govern- 

 ment not only in the city but also in the suburbs, there was a perceptible decrease in 

 the number of birds ; but as soon as payment was stopped and the Sparrows were 

 not interfered with they multiplied quite ten times, aud so great was the pest be- 

 coming that it was a question now with fruit-growers whether it was advisable to 

 continue planting or not. Unless something was done it was of no earthly use increas- 

 ing the vineyards or fruit gardens. 



Mr. J. Curnow also reminded the treasurer that the deputation did not ask for a 

 penny towards the work of destruction. The Sparrows were attacking his pears, 

 about one-tenth of which he had found picked by the birds. 



Mr. A. Molineux explained the habits of the birds, which were of the graminivorous 

 class. They bred six months in the year, and each time had eight, so that the increase 

 was enormous. If a man had a scabby sheep the whole country was alive to the fact 

 and the animal was ordered to be destroyed, or perhaps the whole flock; but the 

 Sparrows were allowed to multiply and do immense injury without anything being 

 done. 



Mr. S. Braund strongly supported the motion. The farmers, too, suffered immensely 

 by the Sparrows, and something needed to be done to check the increase or the results 

 would be ruinous to them. 



Mr. H. Laffer said the birds were getting thoroughly established in the hills also. 

 Whatever was done must be of a compulsory nature. He knew that large sums would 

 have been laid out in planting but for the Sparrows. 



Mr. J. Pitt said he had noticed that day that the Sparrows were now beginning with 

 the olives. Messrs. Dwyer and J. T. Holmes supported the request. 



The treasurer, in reply, said he was exceedingly pleased with the manner in which 

 the deputation had brought the matter before him, because they did not, as was the 

 case with most deputations, ask the Government for assistance with money. All they 

 desired, he understood, was that power should be given to district councils and cor- 

 porations to levy a small rate for the purpose of covering the expense of destroying 

 the birds. He was not going into the modes suggested by the deputation, because he 

 had to attend a meeting of cabinet and wished to get away. Although at one time 

 he thought for a considerable period that the fruit-growers would be able to fairly 

 cope with the trouble themselves, he was perfectly satisfied now of the difficulty of 



