DUCK SHOOTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 5

DUCK SHOOTING

FOURTEEN DAYS ONLY NEXT YEAR. CLOSED SEASON IN 1941. For the game shooting season to be opened in May next provision will be made for a period of 14 days for the taking of waterfowl. The Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) said that there was need foi' a closed season, particularly for grey ducks, and the short season now to be provided was because acclimatisation societies contended that notice of a closed season should be given well in advance io enable them to arrange their financial affairs for the season. It was proposed, he said, to have a closed season for ducks in 1941 to give the birds a chance to multiply and to increase lhe number of young laying ducks. The decision come to would give societies an opportunity of concentrating on the work of increasing the duck population by the utilising of the societies’ own resources for breeding, and by assisting in all Ways the natural breeding of birds. “I want to emphasise the necessity for local breeding of all kinds of duck —grey, mallard, and paradise,” added the Minister. "From the position today it seems to me that the number of open seasons to be gazetted for duck must in the future be determined on the extent societies themselves throughout the country breed ducks to assist the natural breeding of the birds.” The Minister expressed lhe hope that all acclimatisation societies would follow the policy of the Wellington Society in breeding mallard ducks.