OPOSSUM SEASON.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1924, Page 2

OPOSSUM SEASON.

The opossum season closed in tlie Westland District on August .'list lasi. This season trappers were just as lotInnate as they have been previously. There are certain hardships connected with the life of iimissum trapping, hut these are easily bahuued hv the returns received hv the trappers. Foi instance, a certain two men desired to go i.possum 1 rapping. They had not sufficient cash to purchase their licenses. L'g Ills each, so they set lo work to borrow it. Then they burrowed a tent to calnp in and then started trapping. There was two months open season in the Westl'and District and these two men between them secure I At):; skins in the two meiiths. I here was Is pci- skill royalty to he paid mi them, that would he C-o (is to (nine oil'. Then there would he callage raila'.'e and eoluillission and that would leave those two men. with anything like link for the skins, with the sum cf about L'"J:'.'.l for the two months or nearly CGH a monlh oa'h. Two other men noil I Ther a* mult ’I Imv go I .V'.'i skills ami their I'licqite allci paying all charges such as royally, cartage and commission was L-il. averaging CHS per month. Anoti.ei aviii on his own with the exception ot two weeks, when another man heljied, settir-d I'i7.'f skins. These should nett Him in about 1:3211 after paying all charges. Some of course were not so fortunate. One man refused a constant job at Cl! a week preferring to

go opossum trapping. The official number stamped by the Stamping Officer in Hokitika this season is 3! 130, against -131.5 la-t season, or a decrease of GK.S skins. Of course, seme trappers sent their skins away to other |»laces. Dunedin principally, to lie stamped there and sold.