GAME AND FISH

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 36, 11 August 1936, Page 11

GAME AND FISH

POLICY OF CONTROL

OUTLINED TO MINISTER

When the conference of New Zealand acclimatisation societies' was held in Wellington earlier in the year, it' was decided that individual societies' recommendations as to how best to secure the conservation and protection of game and fish should be forwarded to a special committee set up by the conference, consisting of Messrs. E. Russell (Southland), G. A. Lawrence (Christchurch), F. McKenzie (Auckland), and L. J. Wilson and Dr. G. F. V. Anson (Wellington)/

The questionnaires sent out to the societies were intended to cover every aspect of the questions upon which a united policy was desired, and the replies necessitated consultations which were in 'some' cases lengthy. The result was that the budget of information secured was both bulky arid compendious, and it has taken the special committee some time to correlate the expressions of opinion. The result is a statement of policy which is intended to form the basis of a constitution governing acclimatisation societies all over New Zealand. ;

Dr. Ansbn and Mr. Wilson visited the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) today, and presented him with the results of their committee's findings, in the preparation of which it has been necessary to make some exemptions and exceptions according to the nature and sporting possibilities of certain districts. The two islands differ in characteristics; there is more fishing than shooting in the South Island, while in the North Island fishing and shooting are general in most districts.

The conference from which this action arose was called by the Minister with the object of increasing both game and sporting fish supplies in the Dominion, and his opinion of the proposals set forth will be. awaited with interest.

Another. matter which was placed before the Minister was the request for a share in the opossum revenue. The range of opossum forests, prevention of poaching, inspection of skins, and the stamps put on them, are done by acclimatisation society rangers, though the societies do not participate as a matter of course in the revenue from licences or the royalty on the skins. .