Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1928, Page 2

The opossum season will soon be opening throughout New Zealand. In somo districts the season opens on the Ist. prox., but on the Coast the opening will l>e uniform, 11th. June to lltli. August. The Acclimatisation Societies have been endeavouring for some time to secure the consent of the Government to the introduction of “new blood,” with the object oi improving the quality and value of the fur. Furs generally are at an apprising value in the world’s prqrkets., and there is no

doubt great wealth is won in the aggregate from fur trading. Until the opossum was brought here from Australia, New Zealand had little chance of participating in the trade, but of late years, what with rabbits and opossums, much lucrative employment is provided for those taking up fur trading. It. is said in some localities rabbits are now being farmed for the benefit of their .skins. But there are restrictions in regard to opossum trapping which prevent any wholesale effort to improve the strain or the number of opossums. The authorities have prohibited action along the lines desired, because of advise of opinions expressed in regard to> the alleged possible damage to the forests, and native bird life. The. matter, however is being looked into, and in a paper prepared for the State Forest Service, J)r L. Cockayne in referring to opossums, says: “These tree-dwellers stand, economically, in a class by themselves. At the present time there are those in favour of the opossums and those wlio decry those animals. As for myself, after a wide experience of New Zealand forests of all types—both prior to the coming of tho opossum and at the present time—l certainly conic into the first category. Wore the opossum doing noticeable damage, the forests would undoubtedly point to this in their dead trees. But the forests, so far ns damage from opossums goes, are as they were. If damage of any kind there he, it is so slight as to ho negligible. Nor do these animals affect tlio ali Important, floor-covering or reduce the seed crops to any extent, f,caving this matter of problematical damage out of the question, the point of moment is tho great value ol the skins. If, for instance, it can bo shown that an acre of forest, at present. bringing in no revenue, will yield as the home of opossums a yearly Income equalling that of even very poor |7*)sture, and that a constant- revenue can be made by trapping opossums, these animals have, come to stay. At

any rate, if it is proved eventually—which is most unlikely—that opossums are a menace to the forests, their skins are so valuable that at any time the animals can be reduced in numbers to the extent desired without cost. Inlikc the deer it would pay handsomely to keep the opossum under strict control.’’ There seems to be every warrantry for the agitation for the spread of opossums in this district, and it is hoped the matter will be kept prominent! v before tho authorities.