FOREST PESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1929, Page 5

FOREST PESTS

DEER AND PIGS

TESTING THEIR COMMERCIAL VALUE.

WELLINGTON, September 11

Can the deer and wild pig pests be turned to profitable account? The State Forest Service, on which falls the principal burden of their destruction, is exploring,money-making avenues, and discloses in its report that assistance is being given by exporters in testing the world’s markets for the ulilisationof hides, horns and venison. With a view to enhancing the commercial value of the deer pest; and in order that reduction in numbers may be achieved at as low a cost as possible, an official party was engaged in ihe Lilbuin Valley, Southland region, lor a period of three months, during which ciine 353 red deer were destroyed. In the Blue Mountains plantation (Cantcrbury-Utago region), in which the depredations of fallow deer have been very severe, an official party during three weeks shot aproximately lour hundred. An official shooting party is at present being organised in the southern portion of the Nelson region. The anticipated result of this experiment is .the destruction of a further one thousand deer.

The service has made arrangements in this region to collect deer hides and forward them to various exporters in an endeavour to increase the demand overseas. The sale values of red deer hides ranges from 4s to os 3d each, according to size and method of fleshing and drying. There is undoubtedly a good market for medium-sized, welldried red deer hides for utilisation in fine leather work. Certain overseas manufacturers have been favourably impressed with the qualities of these hides, and it is anticipated that values will increase in the near future. An experimental shipment of fallo\v deer hides was also made, but so far results have not been'successful as a business proposition. Fresh avenues, however, are now being explored. Wild pigs are a costly burden to the Department, which paid Is per snout for the destruction of 13,441 last year. The Taranaki portion of the Wellington forest conservation region suffers most from the depredations of wild pigs, and farmers sustain heavy losses during the lambing season. The pest has now spread over the Wanganui River, and complaints have also been received from, the southern portions of Wellington district. In the Bay of Plenty (Rotorua region) wild pigs are present in State forests and unoccupied Crown lands, and in the Nelson region certain areas likewise are affected in a minor degree. ' Efforts have been made to find i»u overseas market for pig hides, and to this end a shipment of hides was. sent to America for trial in glove-making.. Sueded and plain pig skin gloves illustrate one use to which this leather is applied in America. American pig Hides range in value from 6s to 8s each, and if tlie latter price could be obtained for New Zealand hides the wild pig would soon encourage shooting parties without the necessity for direct Government subsidy.