Deerstalkers out of E.C.O.

Press, 23 April 1979, Page 2

Deerstalkers out of E.C.O.

PA Wellington The New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association has withdrawn its membership of the Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand because of E.C.O.’s increasingly “preservationist attitudes.” The association has now joined the Federation of Rifle, Rod, and Gun Sportsmen, which consists of 29 sports organisations. The vice-president of the N.Z.D.A. (Mr H. W. Egan) said that the decision had not been made lightly, but had gradually formed over the last four years. “An increasing move towards preservation has been noted in E.C.O. policy. The Deerstalkers’ Association is a conservation group and opposes clear-felling of native forests or scrubland,

[but it does not support the preservation of areas under the National Parks Act,” Mr Egan said. The association’s attitude was based on the interpretation given to the legislation by the National Parks Authority. This included extermination of all introduced animals from national parks. E.C.O.’s policy of moving to an extension of the national parks system was therefore not in the N.Z.D.A.’s interest, Mr Egan said. “The Deerstalkers’ Association comes somewhere between the extreme line taken by preservationists and more liberal lines taken by persons with recreational needs.” Since 1970, E.C.O. has been a national alliance of 58 non-Government organisations concerned with environmental issues.