Plan to bus kids out of spray zone

Parents at a primary school inside Hamilton's asian gypsy moth spray zone have offered to pay to bus their children away on spray days.

The Cabinet yesterday approved an $11.1 million spray package, including $7.5 million for spraying and $1.5 million for health support programmes.

The first week of aerial spraying, from October 6, coincides with primary schools returning from holidays.

St Columba's principal Jan Pratt said some parents would keep children home.

Principals in the city's northwest will meet Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) officials tomorrow for more information.

The school's parents' association has offered to pay for buses to ferry students out of the treatment zone on spray days, Mrs Pratt said.

The concerns reflect widespread worries over the health effects of being sprayed with the caterpillar-killing pesticide, despite official assurances.

Anti-spray campaigner Phil Evans said opponents would continue to protest against the programme.

MAF forest biosecurity director Peter Thomson said a 1250ha area centred on Higgins Rd would be sprayed up to eight times by December to target asian gypsy moth caterpillars.

Helicopters and small aircraft would spray from a height of up to 50m.

Waikato Hospital had been excluded because of "operational difficulties" associated with its height. It also meant hospital patients would not have the "added stress of noisy planes flying over them".

Mr Thomson said MAF was still working out the minimum height planes would fly at.

"In terms of spraying, the lower the better. But it's got to be safe."

MAF plans an intensive information campaign for people living in the treatment area, including precautions to avoid contact with the spray.

The spray is the same used against the painted apple moth in West Auckland.

Almost 3300 people reported health effects there.

Those concerned about the spray could ring a freephone number set up by MAF, 0800-969-696.

It was recognised that the spray may cause short-term health impacts for a small number of people and medical treatment would be offered, Mr Thomson said.

Hamilton Mayor David Braithwaite said the council would make "strenuous" efforts to keep residents informed of the eradication programme and the medical support services that were available.

Greens agriculture spokesman Ian Ewan-Street said that unless MAF established the extent of the infestation with traps, "they will never know whether the spray was successful or if there was ever more than one moth in the first place".

Spraying was ludicrous on the basis of one moth find, he said.

- NZPA