TAKING OF OPOSSUMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1093, 6 May 1913, Page 4

TAKING OF OPOSSUMS.

The action ot the Government in removing all restrictions against the opossum vyas {he subject pf a good deal of adverse criticism by members of the Southland Acclimatisation Society at the annual meeting of that body held recently. Mr E. 6. Leary described it as a national calamity. Since the restrictions were removed, he stated, one man had made .£l4O in two months put qf fhe shins. , In certain districts tire animals were practically wiped out, and to keep the season open another year was absurd. It was stated that the opossum reared only one young in the year, with the result that if the present wholesale slaughter was continued the animals would soop become extinct. The president, Mr Eustace Russell, explained that very strong representations had already been made to the Government in regard to a close season, but the Minister for Internal Affairs, in view of the low price of skins in the sampler, thought it was unnecessary, as there would be very little trapping done. Jt was stated that the skins in the winter time vyere worth from 5s to £1 each, and it was suggested that the society should get a small revenue from this source in tbp way of royalty, viz., Cid per skin. 'R vyas’ reported tfiaf {he matter of a close sea'son was still under the Government's consideratlpfb