I DISAGREE with Martin Hathaway on the subject of goose egg spraying. I would be one of the first to champion the cause of the plight of the geese, but spraying the eggs is a better way of reducing numbers than to cull the adults.

David Meigh of City of York Council's parks department says they sprayed 200 eggs this season. That is not enough, there are still far too many in the Castle Museum area alone, which leads to fighting among the birds and injuries occurring.

What would Mr Hathaway rather have, a few happier geese than hundreds of them vying for food?

The council should continue egg spraying, leaving just one egg for the bird to hatch. It is kinder to do that than kill the adult bird - or does Mr Hathaway know of a a more humane way?

The RSPCA has a sterilising policy for its dogs and cats: why not one for the geese so they don't have too many offspring?

Mrs J Dawson,

Butcher Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:21 Tuesday, August 23, 2005