WILD PIG MENACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1922, Page 5

WILD PIG MENACE.

CAUSES LOSS TO FARMERS. STEPS TO CHECK TROUBLE. (By Wire.—Parliamentary ‘Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) asked the Commissioner of State Forests whether he would place an amount on the Supplementary Estimates, similarly to that on the the main Estimates by the Department of Agriculture for dealing with the kea, to be spent in clearing the back country of Taranaki of wild pigs. The member stated the State forest reserves are providing a breeding area for wild pigs, and farmers who previously had 100 per cent, of lambs are now getting as low as 40 per cent, through the depredations of these animals. The Hon. Sir R. H. Rhodes replied that the seriousness of the destruction of sfreep by wild pigs in the Whangamomona district was noted by the district forest ranger early in the year, and a veterinary officer of the Department of Agriculture was consulted on the matter. The ranger was informed that poison had been issued to settlers in the Waitotara district, with a request to supply results. As, however, no information was received, a supply of strychnine and phosphorised pollard was issued to the ranger, and experiments with these poisons were carried out in co-opera-toin with settlers, over a period of threo months. Unfortunately, the experiments have not been successful. The trouble is by no means confined to State forest reserves, but the forests on Maori and private lands, and scenic .reserves also harbor wild pigs. The trouble, therefore, requires to be dealt with comprehensively, and further investigations to ascertain the best and cheapest method of control will be nroceeded with once.