DEER CULLING.

Shannon News, 13 April 1923, Page 2

DEER CULLING.

CONFERENCE OF SOCIETIES.

WELLINGTON, Last Night. A conference of representatives of the Acclimatisation Societies and rept - senna.ves .if interested Government a pa. imeats is being lienl nere to consider what steps should be taken to deal witli the question of depredations by deer. The Minister of Inter- : :.u nnn.s me n--n. a. u. Stewe. t, is presiding. Acclimatisation Societies of Ashburton, Foilding, Marlborough, N Ison, Otago, North Canterbury, Rotorua Southland. Waitaki, Waimarino, Wanganui and Wellington are represented. The New Zealand Forestry L ague and Board were also represented and there are several departmental officers present. The Otago Acclimatisation Society, which had spent 11500 in culling out 3000 head in the last quarter or two while recognising the necessity of removing the protection from large areas,, was anxious that one particular herd of Scotch deer should be preserved. Its views "would no put before the conference as'to how far it would lie possible to maintain some herds in parts remote from settlement, in the interests of the Tourist Department. Assuming that protection was removed in some specified areas remote from settlement, there still remained the very large question as to Uvhat was to be done with a view to reducing or getting rid of deer not in protested areas. He understood the Defence Department was prepared to supply ammunition at cost price, under proper restrictions. There was a strong feeling in Parliament And among settlers and the public as to the menace of the nuisance, but the Government was anxious at the same time to protect ilie interests of the Tourist Department and the, acclimatisation soei Ties.