ACCLIMATISATION WORK

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 771, 18 September 1929, Page 9

ACCLIMATISATION WORK

SOCIETIES MEET IN WELLINGTON - PROTECTION PROBLEMS Press Association WELLINGTON. Today. I There was a record attendance at | the 18th conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society, which | opened today. Mr. L. H. Tripp, who presided, in 1 moving the adoption of the report and j balance-sheet, showing a credit of £220 13s 4d, said that in the protec- ; tion of native birds and game soci- j eties were up against stoats, weasels, * cats and hedgehogs. Trapping in the | societies’ reserves had been consid- i ered. but it was resolved it would be ! a waste of time as the vermin were 1 so numerous. In the year before last j 31,000 rats and 2,500 stoats and other j vermin had been caught in the Well- i ington district, and this year a record would bo established. In some districts native birds were on the increase and this had been due to trapping. Mr. Tripp spoke of the culling operations carried out by the Wellington Society, which should keep deer I in check. Deer had not been introduced by the society. Taking off the protection was no way to cure the deer problem. The only way was to employ men to kill them off systematically. Inquiries showed that opossums did no damage to forests, birds or to bird foods, as they took berries from the ground. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. L. H. Tripp, Wellington: vice-president. Mr. C. A. "Whitney, Auckland; treasurer. Mr. J. F. Dyer. Wellington: council, Messrs. F. E. McKenzie, Auckland: F. 11. Stockwell, Feilding: F. J. Dargaville, Hobson; Colonel J. Hume, Nelson; Messrs. C. TI. Lawrence. North Canterbury; C. A. Wilson, Otago; T. R. Mackav. South Canterbury: J. Gilkison, Southland: J. A. McKenzie, Tauranga,; H. J. Duigan. Wanganui; E. J. C. Wiffin, Wellington; J. S. Fleming, W ellington.