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Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1933, Page 2

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ACCLIMATISATION IN WESTLAND. GOOD WORK OF THE SOCIETY. Advice has been received by . the Westland Acclimatisation Society that a consignment of brown-eyed ova for the Lake Kanierj hatchery will arrive by the express on Thursday evening. This will he the first consignment this season, and, as is usual with nil the ova received from North Canterbury, the supply is much earlier than that of Otago and Southland. It is the incut ion of the Westland Society to make every effort to adequately stock the lakes and river,g of the district with game fish, and-as the funds of the Society are getting rather low, it is to be hoped that all interested in the sporting aspect of the matter, will give their, practical support by becoming members. -The membership comprises all those who take out a fishing or fihooting'liconse, or anyone who pays a fee of half a guinea each year. Fish culture does not by any means comprise the only activities of the Society, and a great deal of work has been done for the district that is rsngenerally done by Acclimatisation Societies. The tourist branch of the Society is quite a departure in tborespect, and a great deal of publicity Work regarding the scenic attractions of the district has been carried out.

A very fine publication was issued about the time the Exhibition was held in Hokitika.' and copies of it were forwarded to al] parts of the world. Its literary and illustrative contents were of exceptional merit, and must have bad a direct influence on the amount of tourist tr'ffic to the district. The publieafon was a credit to the Society, and it is regretted that, a diminishing

revenue does not permit of mo-e ~activities of this nature during the present time. A notable feature of the earlier work of the Society was the introduction of the opossum fn the forests north of the Hokitika river, and the wonderful revenue 1 that has accrued since trapping has been licensed. ha B been of very material -assistance in the past few years.* • Unfortunately at present the ' market for opossum skins is not nearly as erood as it hr s been, and with the) poisoning and other -illegal methods : adopted by trappers;- a very valuable industry has been-almost ruined; end, : inconsequence, trapping is not , the lucrative employment that- it might .have boon, had .not the greed of/some practically ex 1 inoted whole colonies of these animals It ; s regrettable that .'the Department did-net permit of ;the. •liberation of' the opossum in the great ifracts o 7 forest country*.in South Westland- Had this been .done the stock-ing-of the country could hive been carried out systemati jilly with due ye•gnrd Tbr fc ’fchb M beS!r 'Spegifes. This particular part of the .district would have been a wonderful 'etqre- . house'; find l>\* the very na’tv’-v of • the. country would have produced a limitless supply. The effect of such an industry on the question of our unomplovrnent does not need to be stressed. Jt is to be hoped that future Government Departments may take tho rounsel of men on the spot and Pot .adopt sue 1 arbitrary and red tape methods as have occasionally occurred in rich matters.

A glaring instance of Departmental interference was the recent deer killing expedition to Ponth Westland. The doer herd in those regions has been recognised as one of the finest (if nou the best) deer herds in the world, and there arci instances of wealthy sportsmen from various perst of the world making repeated visits to indulge in their hobby. An attraction of thi 6 nature could be considered as a material asset to the country in general and to -this district in particular. The Tourist Department, in its publicity abroad, has also extolled the virtues of this wonderful paradise for stalkers, on top of which the Internal Affairs Department •sends an expedition to kill all animals in sight. The result of this hysteria on behalf of the Department was soon apparent. About a month ago published a report from' Lord Latymer, a noted English sportsman, .stating that he would not- advise any sportsman to visit the (South Westland area to stalk icleer, as the country had been shot over by the Government killers. He inferred that it. would be a waste of money and effort to do so, a s the result did not justify the attempt. This adverse report will, of course, be published in England and abroad, and the publicity efforts of the Tourist Department, and the husbanding of the quality of the deerdieud by the wise culling of the local authority, has been absolutely ,'‘nullified. Truly there are some wonderful examples of Departmental inconsistencies.

Th© conservation of our (native birds, and also the introduction of other game birds are a feature of the work of the Society, and in tins direction the efforts of these enthusiasts are particularly commendable. While it would take an army of rangers to adequately protect the native pigeon from the pot hunter, it cannot be denied that the indiscriminate shooting of these birds is not nearly so extensive in bygone days indicating that the people, generally, arc being educated to the wi-scloni of conserving one of ou.r great natural assets.

'The .efforts. \to introduce pheasants and Canadian geese for the sportingly •no-lined is mcetum with general support, mg the residents i,n the vicinity of the accent liberations are making great efforts to give the birds a measure of protection. Altogether it is pleasing to note that there are citizens v.ho, in many cases, have give.n long and valuable service in the work of acclimatisation, and the younger members sooni to bo thoroughly enthu*ed ju carrying ou the work

despite 'the handicaps and difficulties tha are occasionally experienced.