Noxious Animal Evidence Put Before Committee

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 64, 17 August 1965, Page 11

Noxious Animal Evidence Put Before Committee

While some of the submission/* made to the Parliamentary Select Committee on noxious animals had praised the New Zealand Deerstalkers' A/ssociation, some had openly abnsed it, the retiring president, Mr J. Dillon, of Taupo, said in his report to the annual conference. "Others attempted to ridicule our research efforts and we were accused of being a pressure group prepared to sacrifice the whole of the New Zealand countryside just to keep our sport," he said. "Of course we are a pressure group, but we have never advocated the retention of more animals than an area will sustain in compatability with the regeneration required." Mr Dillon said it had been both an education and an interesting experience listening to the various submissions. Another busy year had seen various members of the national executive accompany representatives of the select committee on inspection trips into the Waimakariri and Stewart Island in the South Island, and to the Waitarere and Ruahine areas in the North Island. Individual members of the national executive had also attended all sittings of the select committee. Final submissions had now been presented, and the committee was reviewing the large volume of evidence presented for and against the retention of noxious animals policy. It was hoped they would present their findings before the end of this session of Parliament. "I have been criticised for condoning meat recovery for monetary reward and must refer to my 1964 report, Tn my mind ade-

quate control with utilisation must be the only approach to true conservation'. "No true sportsman is a; despoiler of game, and in a world that is clamouring for more food we cannot condone waste. "It is encouraging to note that the Travel and Holiday Association has appointed a special officer to handle the hunting aspect of tourism. "The extent of enquiries from overseas hunters had become embarrassing to us."