FUR, FISH, AND FEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 54, 1 September 1926, Page 10

FUR, FISH, AND FEATHER

ACCLIMATISATION WORK

DOMINION GONFERENCE OPENS

MANY IMPORTANT PBOBLEMS,

' The fifteenth conference of Now Zealand Acclimatisation Societies was commenced to-day, in the accountants' Chambers, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp (president) in the chair. There were present delegates from all over New Zealand. The president, moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet of the 1024 conference, said that desr had certainly increased, and wore i menace to crops and farmers, and the question of their control was an important one. The Government, as the first deer were sent out in 1862 to the Government, must accept some responsibility for their control, especially in the case of the Wellington Society, which was not formed until 1884. The Wellington Society supplied ammunition to settlers and arranged parties under rangers, and in this way 2500 had been killed off last year. If protection were removed from deer, societies would not have the revenue to do this sort of thing.

Speaking of the damage to native birds by stoats and weasels, Mr. Tripp pointed out that wekas had killed out many rats, and that with the destruction' of wokas by weasels rats had increased tremendously, and were now the worst enemies of native birds. Native birds had actually increased in some districts, such as South Canterbury, in the case of pigeons, largely due to the increase in their food supply. Protection would never be taken from kingfishers, he hoped, as the amount of trout they took was infinitesimal.

Mr. Tripp covered the steps already taken by the Wellington Society to establish a fellowship in fresh water fish study, upon which Mr. Hefford, of the Marine Department, would later address them. The society had set aside £1200 for that purpose, and suggested that any information gleaned by the fellowship should be printed and the benefit given to all other societies. (Applause.) TAUPO FISHING. He reviewed the recent regulations in regard to Taupo, which he thought a very good thing, but was of opinion that the Government should appoint a board of men used to Taupo conditions to supervise the carrying out of the regulatiojis. At present the control of Taupo was under two Departments. The Internal Affairs had charge of the fishing, and the Tourist Department controlled the ranges, which was ridiculous. During the spawning season both pakeha and Maori took enormous numbers of trout from Taupo streams, and fed them to the pigs. This must be stopped. It was also unfair that a man who left his license at home or in camp should be fined as though he had j taken out no license. , In regard to opossums, it had been proved that they do not damage forests. They did provide a trade. Last year the total of skins was 146,000, and so long as-they were protected only, in' large forest areas, and killed out round orchards, a policy the Wellington So- j ciety had always fostered, they should prove a Dominion -asset. Enormous numbers of opossum skins were undoubtedly poached. The Wellington ' Society had secured a conviction in this regard and by extra ranging had kept down poaching a good deal.

The.ordor paper includes a discussion - on deer control, the Botortta and oversea licenses, a discussion on the institution of a fellowship for fresh water fish study, : and many other matters of interest to sportsmen. ■ ' • ■ REMITS ADOPTED. . The following remits were, carried:— "That all shooting of native and imported game may begin not earlier than an hour before, sunrise and must ceaso not later than one hour after sunset." —(Ashburton.) "That,'the Government be asked to arrange with , the Australian Government to protect 'Banded Dotterel' with a view to arranging open and close sea-: sons concurrently in both countries." — (North Canterbury.) * ''That the Government be requested: not to permit the introduction, of beaver or any other fur-bearing animals in the South-West Fiord District."— (North Canterbury.) ' '' That the Animals ■ Protection and Game Act, 1921-22 be altered so as to allow an open season for Eastern golden plover and turnstone at the same time of year as the open season for godwit and knots."—(North Canterbury.) 'That the penalties for shooting game out of season should be increased—-the minimum to be not less than five pounds (£5) for the offence and 10s additional for each head of game taken.—(North Canterbury.) (Proceeding)