PHEASANT REARING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 2 May 1914, Page 6

PHEASANT REARING.

THE SHOOTISTS' VIEWS. DISCUSSION BY THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. Some of the shooting members' of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society at the annual meeting of that body on Thursday night, voiced the opinion that they- were not getting a

square deal, in that the hatching of fish was bbing advanced by the Society to the detriment of the rearing of pheasants.

Air. .M. 0. Butcher brought up the question, by enquiring the reason of a suggestion in the annual report that as the rearing of pheasants had not been very successful, the stock birds at the hatchery should be liberated at the end of the season.

Mr. W. h. Newman pointed out that the effort to rear young pheasants Iwul failed, and that the feed for the stock birds cost some U per annum. Mr. Butcher said that the eggs were infertile, and it was no wonder that this was so. He had visited the game farm, and found the stock birds in poor condition and with scaly legs. The fact w"as that more attention was paid to the hatching of fish than to the rearing of pheasants, and the shooting men were not getting an adequate return for the money they paid in. ! Mr. Newman said that this had always been more or less so.

Mr. Butcher did not see why. Mr. A. H. Johnstone remarked that 1 o fully appreciated the- force of Mr. Butcher's remarks; which were to some extent correct. It was, however, difficult to suggest a remedy under the existing state of affairs. At the last annual meeting the shooting men had endeavored to get better representation on the Council. As a matter of fact, the. Council was at its wit's end to know how to deal with the matter. The number of quail in the district, however, should give good sport to tlio«.> who cared for that form of sport. They had to contend with the depredations of hawks and other vermin, as well as with ellicit shooting. The farmers, moreover, did ncjt give the society the whole-hearted support which it deserved, and. rather encouraged illicit shooting than otherwise. The shooting men had not, so far, been able to make any feasible suggestion. He pointed out . the additional receipts which the fishing department brought in as compared with the shooting, instancing the proceeds of sale of fish, and ino Government grant for acclimatisation. The Council would welcome any suggestion by the shooting men towards a solution of the problem. Mr. Firth suggested as a reason for the infertility of tbp egges the fact that so many 'visitors visited the game farm and were likely to disturb the birds. Mr. W. F. McAllum said that Mr. Butcher should remember that the area of the farm was limited. There were, he considered, not enough visitors to the fish' hatcheries and the game farm. It would be a very good thing if school children visited them. \ Mr. George Richardson said the remarks of previous speakers showed that shooting was treated as a secondary consideration. If the fish could have plenty of Toom, so could the birds. Auckland, for instance, reared pheasants successfully.

Mr. Johnstone pointed out the weak of Auckland.

Mr. Richardson said the birds should get more attention, and that the number of cocks and hens should be equal. Mr. Butcher said that the stock birds were not moved about, as were the fish, and though he had suggested a remedy for scales on the birds' legs, it had not been carried into effect. Mr. Seale, the curator, said that he had cured this disease, and the birds were of as good plumage as in their wild state.

Messrs. L. B. Webster, Richardson, and other members stated that they hml visited the game farm continually; and found the birds in fine condition. Mv. Butcher, they said, must have sefnthem in the. moulting season, and should not judge by one visit.

Mr. Johnstone, at a later, stage, referred to the fact that cover was poor unless the game were sent far hack, where it was subject to illicit shooting. Mr. Butcher still contended that shooting men were not getting enough' for their money.

Mr. McAllum suggested soliciting the support of other societies in a co-opera-tive scheme of importing game other than pheasants. Eventually it was decided to recommend the new Council to obtain more birds, and give the pheasant' rearing another trial.

Mr. Scale, in replying' to a vote of thanks ut the conclusion of the meeting, 'said that it was wet when Mr. Butcher saw the birds. He thought the infertility of the eggs was due, to the delay in getting them out to the farmers.