MENACE OF DEER

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1930, Page 5

MENACE OF DEER

CONTROLLING OF NUISANCE (

GOVERNMENT ACTION. # ... ■ , \ . -7 VWELLINGTON, November 12. f Steps to . be taken/ to 'prosecute A more intensive, campaign against th& menace of deer, especially in the ' South Island, were ; outlined in a stated [ meiit by the Minister of Internal AiP fairs, Hon. P. A. : del la Perelle. It been decided, to wage a war a gain ST deer, which are becoming an ing menace. . Mr Perelle said that protection ofh deer had been removed in portions the Dominion some years ago, and as. indicated at tile deer ; conference iri? ( Christchurch, he was of opinion that protection should be removed throughout the Dominion. Provision was made on the Internal Affairs Department’s estimates for a sum of £SOOO in addit-

ion to an amount provided by the Forestry Department, to finnaee. .the paip--,. paigii, and 1 the amount' Was voted by£!j Parliament. •'»

In some-districts in,-the. South requests have been made, for a season under license next - year and itil has so far been; arranged to - declared? short stalking Reasons-, in; ;sdutlt; : Vrest-|| land,; Rakain DeCr Forest, arid'an areal; ill' Southland. , ' f| Ini all easeli < tltisy eourijely/lifM b«en-;f agreed upon after co hsult irig the For- 4 estry Department, and;it is a condition|| that .the resultant revenue received « from licenses must be expended on fur- | tlier : deer destruction. No restrictions as to the number of deer which ~ may be taken under license or to sex-?; or points on a head are-to be imposed.

In districts in the South Island,*; where protection had' been ' removed*? prior to the general • removal' of' pro-.Hjg tection throughout the Dominion, bonus on "tails of deer'destroyed wagjSj paid,;arid the'lnternal-Affairs Depart-:?-?; merit' had' since; paid the off ■ 73,438'tai1s; i 'T c epreseiiting an diture of £6279/19/6. It had now been decided to extend the bonus payment” of 2/- a tail to the whole of the SouthIsland. Officers were being appointed in all acclimatisation districts to receive ; ;? tails and to arrange payments; Chamois j arid thar would be covered by the pay-1j ment. .

. Arrangements have been made with; i the defence department to supply; ain- « munition for deer destruction" to ac- /*? climatisation societies at a "reduced''cost, “ Mr Perelle said. ' Several of the societies have in the past been supplying ammunition to settiers and have undertaken to continue k this arrangement and in other ways -i® to co-operate w,ith. the departnjent. ;in deer destruction by. employing persons # to kill the animals, arranging special fj! parties, etc. || Authority has been issued for the en- m gngment of men to commence operat- v* ions in I<«ke Hnwei\.nnd Lake. \Vantikw v? locolitte, v v t-

The question of the employment of men in the work and this payment has :C. been the subject of a-good- defil '6f con- w sideration. The . object of the cam- (v paign is, of course, to kill the largest number of deer possible with;, the mpn-.,jL oy available. The men, in addition to being good shots, must have had ex- ~ perience in bushcraft and be robust physically fit, and healthy, and able. : ,*. to withstand unfavourable weather con-vj. ditions. The department is providing camp equipment, rifles, and ammunition, and all a man has to find is his , blankets and. personal effects in addi't#|*| ion, of course, to provisions.

As the. goal is destruction of deer. Sj| it is apparent that a fixed regular wage would not offer any special inducement, but, at the same time, it'is real - ised that the men could not be expected to accept employment if payment :; were made only on the basis of deev destroyed. Tt has, therefore, been de-j; cided to offer a guaranteed wage sup- ';: plemented by a bonus on the skins ot |;v;; deer secured, and in addition, in the v, case of the head man an additiona 1 'A over-riding commission on the total g; output of the party. .