ACCLIMATISATION AFFAIRS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 362, 25 October 1932, Page 4

ACCLIMATISATION AFFAIRS

I ■ Yudged upon the tone of the [ Minister's reply, the pr'ospects I of the Rotorua, Rod and Gun j Club obtaining any immediate results from its representations for a measure of local control in acclimatisation matters, do not appear encouraging. The club, -in the first instance, suggested the setting up of a local board of control to co-operate with the departmental officers in the administration of acclimatisation . matters, but this was definitely s refused by the Minister. The J club accepted this decision and I made an alternative sugges'tion ! that an acclimatisation society ; I be constituted for the district,

but this also was rejected. The j club has, however, put forward j a good case, and on general lines, j its contention that local sportsj men are entitled to some voice I : in acclimatisation matters can- | : not be gainsaid. This is at the j ; very least, only common justice. I ; In any other district, where acI climatisation matters are adminI I istered by a society, the protec- : tion and distribution of fish and ' game is carried out by the repre- ! sentatives of the sportsmen of : the district — in other words, by i the license holders. In the Rotorua district, however, despite ! the large number of license hold- ; ers residing in the locality and j : taking out licenses, year after ! year, the control is entirely in the hands of the Government and beyond the right to make re- ' presentations, the local license i holders have no voice at all in the methods pursued or the ex- ; penditure of the revenue to | which they have contributed. I This position is obviously unjust ! and an anomaly. It is true that j' the Department will reiterate its ! promise that local representa- | tions will in all cases be given

| "full consideration" but past exjperience has proved only too plainly how little this empty official phrase is likely to mean. In refusing local co-operation on acclimatisation .matters, the -Department is also rejecting the valuable assistance which district sportsmen would be able to give by reason of their local knowledge. At present this assistance must come through the channels of the Rod and Gun Club ; but here a'gain it must j take the form of representations which will be "carefully considered." On the other hand, credit must in fairness be given the Department for the valuable work which has been done in develop-

mg the district from a sporting point of view. This is particularly the case in regard to the fisheries, and without in any way discounting the right of the local sportsmen to a voice in matters, credit must be given where credit is due. The club very fairly emphasised that excellent work had been done by the departmental officers stationed in the district but pointed out that in its opinion the principle which denies district sportsmen a voice in whaf is, after all, very largely their own affair, is wrong. Due consideration must also be given to the amount of capital which the Government has sunk in the process of developing fish and game in the district, and it must be realised .that the department cannot lightly relinquish the control which it holds by virtue of that investment. The club did

not suggest, however, that it should take over the control of fisheries although it expressed its willingness to assist by any means within its power, Excellent work in developing the fisheries sifie is being carried out by the department officers, and the club has been well advised in asking merely for greater opportunities fpr co-operatipn. The main weakness of the department's administration lies in the j

paucity of game in the district and it is on this side of acclimatisation matters particularly, that reorganisatibn is needed. Despite the Minister's contention that everything possible has been done in the way of liberations, the f act remains that the shooting over the greater part of the district is distinctly pour. A great deal of the large area lying within the present Rotorua acclimatisation district is excellent shooting country for all classes of game birds and water fowl and the shooting should be j considerably better than it is. District sportsmen with their knowledge of local requirements are in a position to assist in remedying this defect and the department is committing a blunder in refusing to alford them an opportunity of turning this as-

sistance to the best account. There is notbiqg in the Minister's reply to the club's representations which provides a satisf actory reason for refusing local sportsmen representation on an adyisory capacity. As contributors to the department's revenue, tfipy have the right to representation on a proper standing-and the department would facilitate its own work by giving them that standing. ■■ ■,