ACCLIMATISATION

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1932, Page 8

ACCLIMATISATION

DRASTIC /RAVAGES OF POACHERS. ' .1’

BIG PROBLEM FOR SOCIETIES

(Contributed to the “Guardian.”)

The greatest problem confi'onting ucoliin atisatjoh societies to-day is ‘tile counteracting bf the activities of ; '

poacher, and in view of the appvoaohing fishing’ .season a little , publicity on this subject may be 'advisable.'' Like the poor, the • poacher iti r alWayS with us, and' he does, not belong to any particular class 'Sr f station in life. We find men. in our own little community, who though' well endowed with this world’s' goods, have no, ’hesitation in : illicitly taking' and'game at every opportunity. The ' man ; who’ 'through Unfd: tunatf circuifistances ’ takes this method ofreplenishing Ins larder’ is quite excusable and no fair minded sportsman Would take exception‘to it. Blit the“ 'persoil WThp iii season and out o‘fseason,— year in and year out, " anf ; .having no regard for anything but his own selfish ends, •is the man who js a distinct menace to all wild life and it is the dftty of every citizen .to ! bo-opernte ‘With 1 'the 'authorities ik (Curtailing the activities of this wily individual. 1 * "" ;

Some years ago in various parts of this district, pheasants were quite numerous, but ttiev r were simply exterminated 'by the -pig-hunter. Incidents of hen pheasants ‘being shot while 'sitting- on ,; ' eggs, Were ', quite poittrtidn, and the lack oP adeqUate’ ranging in those days, accounted ‘for ,tjnie‘ completeextermination of ’ the pheasants. »•

■■ Another effort is now being made to j,ntroduce these fine garifi?-birds ’ ! anu pno hundred pairs were recently purchased and liberated in’ various parts pf the district.- It is very pleasing to note, that most of the 1 settlers ‘ in., the districts in which the birds were liberated, "are 'keen'"‘‘and’ 'enthusiastic 'to protect them, and to give of every j-ssistWe iri'giring'them ;•& chaiicfe - tc! multiply. , v,

Another effort 'tp introduce Canadian geese was made recently and at least four of the total of ten birds were (shot by the pot-hunter. Strange to relate the men Who-shot these geese !are : ' known to be ’mernbers of Ithe Acclimatisation Society,' but the lack' of; BufS'difeUt-’eVidfehce to get a convlcfcioti ‘ baik bdem the' 'retarding' factor in taking rigorous' action against them.

Most adults' will ’rememher how, a few ’’years ago, the pigeon and the' kaka were plentiful,. in all the', su'r--rounding bush. Where aiVth’ey ’.. today? 'The indiscriminate shooting', by, nearly everyone who could''’handle gun lias drifen these fine native buyls well away from civilisation, ,ahd where they once teemed in their thousands not a single bird may be seen to-day., It "is noticeable on the road to the G-ihciens 'that'pigeons ’ are ,1 becoming more plentiful, aiud, if a more vigorous ‘/policy of protection were enforced, 1 there is no -doubt .that our native pigeons and kakas would return 'to- their former 'haunts.-. ■>

The poor old kaka was given a very bad - time and Was easy l to shoot. r His ‘whistle was easily. imitated f and he could he .lured quite close to the end of a gun. A. favourite policy wasto. get a wounded bird and make it screech- and -every kaka. within - call would make it his business to find put what was the trouble; .Con-: seqUently v ’they have suffered pven than thee pigeon. It has been reported- that a oolony of kakas have madte their ’ appeal ance at Fergusons, also another' - tip the Waitaha .rivpr. During a recent week end, while some members of the Hatchery Committee were liberating salmon -fry at the Styx Riverf'- a party. four young men who had been' decr-hunting proudly exhibited a “kea” which one of the party had shot. The• ..“ken” was * ’ “kaika” and the error was due to the fact that none of the party bad eter seen a'kaka.

The boys were so open and candid about it,- and voluntarily displayed the'“kill,” that it was quite evident that it was a regrettable case of mistaken "identity. 1 It is very pleasing to note that the Government recently withdrew the bounty' on the lie-ads of the kea;'imposed attohe instigation of the sheep farmer, because of the keas’ alleged--fondness for-the kidney fat of gir.fi or ‘a’ll-to sheep,'- Tt is verjVdoubtful if the' charge against the kel| was sufficiently established to warrant a drastic’action as the imposition'tof a bounty; and' while it "may meant" A ' lucrative' sport’ -for some, decision to,, withdraw the reward will meet with' general, approval. ’ Indeed, it, i® to be hoped l that the Government ’ will make the ‘ ‘amende honourable’’ and give the kea ?; the .benefit of the protection—or perhaps the measure tjf protection—enjoyed hy the rest of 'New '< Zealand’s 4 native .birds. f; ;■ r ’■ t

• ,;; jfctf<*fcher pehiiciouis habit of the poacher is to. '•iSpear land dynamite spawning ' fish'. At this particular Wage fish .are quite easily caught as It hey epter the shallows wof iptreams to deposit the ova. ‘ Apart jfrPm the fact that the flesh of spawn|ing fish is of very little food value, |the consequent destruction of the (natural increase is the nibst regrettable Inspect of these activities. | ' A case Wa.s'reported' recontlv from feoutliliaind, whcrv a magistrate' took In very seriofls view of the broach of ,|the' regulations in this respect.' and lift very • substantial fine was imposed. 11 Under the 1 present system , Itonfimg is) done by paid servants of [ acclinTaUsution ■ qctoetieis. voirv ' few I’enTiviotions are. (recorded, * Neither