“PROTECTING PESTS.”

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1923, Page 1

“PROTECTING PESTS.”

AGRICULTURAL DF.PARTMENT’S

PROPOSAL

OPPOSED BY THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY..

CHKISTCHI'UCH, 18 ' Air ,). Hislop, Undcr-secrctaiy to the Department of Internal Affairs, has written to the North Canterbury tAcclmatisation Society informing it that the Agricultural Department pioposes to" have an Order-in-Cotmeil issued protecting stoats, weasels and hawks in some parts of the Dominion. H in proposed to protect them all nv Jt is proposed to protect them all over the South Island except in the Taknka, Collirmwcod Sounds, Duller. Tnnngah„a Grov and Fiord Counties, and Stewart Island. AH Hislop suggested that, if the society has comments to make on the Department's proposal, it should communicate with Erie DirectorGeneral for Agriculture. AY hen the letter came before the society's council last night. Mr D- A. Sham! said that the society should take its coat off and protest very vigorously. ‘Ht is absolutely ridiculous, - ' lie said. “Those animals are in our sanctuaries and on the shores of our lakes. The lmwk is the greatest enemy to young ducks there. Stoats and weasels, when hard pressed, certainly kill young rabbits. but T have known them actually to live with rabbits, in the same burrow s. They kill rabbits to only a very small extenl. If they can get leathered game, such as skylarks on the ground and voting ducks they will take them first.”

Mr A. \Y. Smith '-aid that there was no doubt that stoats took young ducks Hr l acttiallv had seen stoats living in

rabbit burrows. The pests got amongst native birds and decreased their numbers. Every opportunity should he taken to kill stoats and weasels. .Mr li. Al. I). Morten said that he I,ad seen stoats and weasels living in r!ie .'ante burrows as rabbits. He belonged to the Canterbury Sheepowimrs' Union and he did not think iiuit the uninn believed that stoats and weasel-, were exterminating I lie 1 rabbits.

Tu reply In the chairman (Mr M. 'i. GodhyL Mr .Molten said that lie would bring Ihe question before the Siie-'p-owners' Union, in order to give we"get to the protest. "We may have trod n;i the Agricultural Department s toes. ; ,m,| jt= proposal tiia.', ''i Hie result, lie added'. "\Ve loci that It was mil dealing with the rabbit problem adequately. \Yo had a long conference with the Director-General and his officers and it was realised that as far as exleiniinatiug rabbits was concerned, stoats and weasels were not worth considering. What we tried to impress on the Minister was compulsory poisoning and the prevention of trapping/ "! would never dream ol protecting stoats and weasels,” Mr 11. Dorman said. The letter, on Air Sliands’ movnni. was referred to Alessrs Morten and F. K Fiend, with a request to reply to it in the interests of farmers and ol native birds, on the lines Ihe speakers had suggested.