Menacing geese at Waihi park get reprieve

The Hauraki District Council has given a reprieve to three breeding pairs of feral geese causing problems at Waihi's Gilmour Reserve.

On Thursday the council voted to keep six of the gaggle at the popular duck-feeding lake despite complaints that the geese had been harassing and attacking small children and bread-bearers.

The Waihi ward committee had voted to get rid of all but one breeding pair.

The child-sized geese have been known to tug at clothing and chase visitors for food, causing one elderly woman to fall over.

The rest of the offending geese will be removed to a rural property on the outskirts of Waihi.