ACCLIMATISATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 90, 25 July 1910, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION.

i DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. I I By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Saturday. Resolutions passed ai the Acclimatisation Societies Conference were submitted by a deputation to-day to the Hon. D. Budio, .'.nmsler oi Internal Affairs, and the lion. J. A. Millar, Minister of Marine. In reply, Mr. Buddo said stoats .uid weasels did not come exactly under his jurisdiction. It was a matter tor the Department oi Agriculture. The remit would be handed over to the lion. T. Mackenzie nor consideration, 'the Minister lor Agricuture houl very strong views on the matter, stoats and weasels were here for good, and he did not think trapping, poisoning or anything else would exterminate them. In Jingland it was found to be the same. The only way to deal with the animals was to interfere with their food supply. At the same time the opinion was still held that they were very usefui in high country. In regard to a general license which, to be plain, meant a license for shooting native game, he did not think Parliament would agree to the propositi. There were places such as Lakes Waikare and Ellesmere, where men had snot for years. The large lakes of the Dominion were themselves a protection to native game. He did not agree with the proposal that it should be left to tlie discretion of individual societies to proclaim an open or closed season for native game every third year.. There was often an excess of quail in bush districts despite what had been said to the contrary. With the exception of these birds it was wiser to have a closed season all round. Licenses issued for an acclimatisation district should apply to that district only. He would have the question of the use of cylinders carefully considered. He was afraid if their use was entirely prohibited, somebody's corns would be trodden on severely. He was quite aware of the small fines inflicted at times for breaches of the Animals' Protection Act, but he did not think it practical to legislate for a minimum fine of £3. He. thought the indiscriminate use of pea rifles could be remedied by the societies appealing to ;the public inspectors of their respective 'districts. The preservation of native birds was a very serious matter. There were birds the district which traditions had practically been built around. There was the huia, for instance. Nobody would like to see it exterminated, but it was almost impossible to find one on the mainland. Two expeditions to the head | of the Wanganui River and out towards the plains had proved fruitless, and no birds had been obtained. Another expedition was now proposed. There would be men from Canterbury, Wellington and Wanganui, and if between the three members of the party no huia was found, it would have to be admitted that the bird was practically extinct, the only ones surviving (being a few on the islands. There were" many other birds worth preserving. The Government would do all in its power to help in the setting aside of scenic reserves as sanctuaries for native birds. If private individuals would offer a portion of their property for such a purpose, the Government, with the approval of the acclimatisation societies, would declare such places sanctuaries. This had been done in five or six places last year, and the Government was prepared to receive further applications. The owner, however, must understand that he had no more right to shoot over such a reserve than the public. A million acres in the fiords district, West Coast Sounds, 1 which had been made into a national park, had been proclaimed a sanctuary fer native birds. He saw no reason why the close season for godwit every third year should not be abolished. Owing to the establishment of zoos by municipalities, the Animals Protection Act would have to be amended this year. The Government would give attention to any further matters brought forward by acclimatisation societies. The Hon. J. A. Millar, who dealt with the remits coining under his jurisdiction as Minister for Marine, said he could not give a definite reply in regard to the suggested prohibition of boat licenses on Lake Ellesmere and Lake Forsyth. He had to be very careful where the food supply of the people was concerned, and the present case affected the flounder industry. He would instruct his'officers to find out how many licenses were now in existence. In reference to the importation of Atlantic salmon, he hoped this year to get two million ova. These would be placed, as formerly, in Lake Te Anau.' By doing there was a chance of acclimatising the fish and getting them back to spawn. It was a good food fish as well as a good sporting fish. He would make inquiry concerning the whitebait industry. He did not think there should be any restriction on the., catch. It was a great deal better to can them than to let them go back to, the sea and be eaten by other fish. No-j body knew where whitebait came from. [ Thev did not. settle and breed in any* particular locality. He did not think, tny fine too high for the person caught | lynamiting fish. He would look into! the matter. Parliament hud always | made the minimum fine about £l, evenj : or more serious offences than those |. nentioned. I „