VALUE OF OPOSSUMS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1927, Page 3

VALUE OF OPOSSUMS

Mr J. Lcclcie, whose duties as r a ranger takes him into the wilds of the West Coast, and into other sparselypopulated parts, is more convinced than ever that it would pay the New Zealand Government handsomely to spend, say, £ICCO, on the importation of opossums from Tasmania, for liberation in this country, which is good fori no other purpose. On the West Const the stoats and weasels, he says, are killing the native birds, which are so valuable in the forests, and if the stoats, as well as the red deer, were killed off, and tlie country stocked with opossums, a valuable secondary industry could he established at practically no cost. Between the Grey River and South Westland during two months of the year 200 men were engaged in catching opossums, and if the industry were placed on a proper footing it would provide a great deal of employment at a time of the year when other work was scarce, and would be the means of adding niufeiially to the revenue. On the class of land to which ho referred, on the West Coast, ten ac res were required to keep a cow. On the same area f.O opossums could be kept, and they would return at least £2 10s per acre. Tasmania lias just gone in for a 10,000 opossum farm project. A compuii) there .had secured il l( K> yewrs’ lease of 3O,ooOT(ieres, and on this it was intended to breed opossums. The skins of young opossums were at present worth 15s each.— Exchange.