DEER CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1930, Page 5

DEER CONFERENCE

PROTECTION TO BE LIFTED

By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, May 7

The forty-five delegates to the Conference called by the Department of internal Affairs and presided over by the Minister (Hon. P, A. de la Pertreflle>. at the Privincial Council Chamber to-day, were unanimous that there is <1 menace of deer in New Zealand to forest, farm and bird life, and that steps must' be taken urgently to remove that menace and also that the one directing body should be the Government m consultation with the interests represented. Much further than that, the Conference did not go, although suggestions were made variously for the control or the extermination of deer. It was agreed that if extermination was at all possible, it would certainly he costly and that the Government must be prepared to meet the cost. Oponion was divided as to whether the Department of Internal Affairs or the Forestry Department should have charge some delegates favouring a combination of the two. Th'n Government was reminded by individual delegates v that precautions must soon be taken against the increase of goats, stoats, and weasels. The Minister opened the Conference with a long review of the case against the deer and. ip his conclusion said:—“Speaking quite frankly I consider that the first step to deal with the situation is to remove absolutely the protection on all deer, chnimois and thafk I would he agreeable to protection being reimposed for a short shooting season, under license to give the Acclimatisation Societies the opportunity of obtaining revenue for future deer destruction.”

The Conference adopted the Minister’s suggestion readily, it 'being overwhelmingly .in favour of the extermination of deer.

Some delegates expressed the opinion that the mere removal of the protection of deer would not result in a great slaughter of deer, holding that this would be brought about only by organising shooting parties hs was now done by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, and by employing Bangers.