ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 914, 2 May 1878, Page 2

A CCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Illicit Shooting and selling Game. At the meeting held on Tuesday, Mr James Russell thought that unless so me thin of were done, for stopping the illicit shooting of pheasants, the birds would be exterminated altogether. Last season pheasants were very scarce. That was not to be attributed to any climatic iuflueuce, so much as to the number of birds which were illicitly shot, and sold by those who shot them to unlicensed persons. The number of pheasants sent into the market aud sold was far in excess of the number which passed through the hands of the licensed dealer. If returns could be had of the numbers shot and disposed of without any licence whatever, they would astonish the members. The course generally pursued was, that a person holding an ordinary license to shoot, went out, shot as many birds as he liked, brought them into town, and sold them to the publicans and botch keepers. It did not matter whether they wero hen birds, they 'were all disposed of in this way. As the law at present stood (sec* ion 18 Preservation of Certain animals Act) it was permitted to a person holding a sho j ting license to so'l the birds as he liked. Me thought the law ought to be amended, and that no person should sell game to any other person whatever unless ho had a license. It should be recollected that the incqme of the society acjrued mainly from the game licenses, and it was nothing but right that they should protect themselves, ijut perhaps a. more praptjcal way of remedying tho

evil would be to appoint active and energetic men as rangers, giving them a larger pecuniary interest in convictions. If the society receives a considerable proportion of its income from license-?, it should expend some of its profits in protecting tho birds —Mr Samuel Morrinj: It seems to mo that the sum paid to rangers at present, upon their securing a conviction is not sufficient. If the sura were such as to be an equivalent for energetic and vigilant interference, the birds would be better protected than at present. I propose that the sum to be paid to the ranger on conviction of any person offending against the Act shall be £s.—Mv J. Russell : I will second ths motion.— Mr T\ B. Hill : It Wi js very probable that birds about Auckland were getting scarce. There was no doubt of it from all he bad heard. But further out (Raglan and WhataWhata) the pheasant was as numerous as ever. In some places farmers tluught it a nuisance, and would be glad if Mr Russell or Mr Morrin, with or without license, came and shot some of them. Personally he was opposed to any game law whatever, but, for the purposes of the society, which had done so much good, some means must be had,— Mr S. Morrin : More than a fortnight ago a person brought a bag of pheasants for sale to a person in the neighbourhood of Auckland. I a the bag were 13 pair of hen pheasants. Thia shewed not only the wholesale, manner in which ihe birds, were shot and sold ; but further, that shooting was going on before the end of the close season, and that if something were not doue there would be no pheasaats left for the persons who took out a license. It was absolutely necessary to protect their own licenses. The, licensed dealer might fairly have to complain that birds were sold in the manner described, and those who took out licenses to shoot might have to say yet that there was no use doing so, if any person without a liceuse might go out and shoot when and where as much as he pleaded. They had to protect themselves as much as the birds. — Mr liobbs said there was no doubt of the pheasant having become scarce, and the cause he believed was that assigned by Mr Morrin. — Mr Russell's motion was put and carried nem. con.

Dealehs' ■Ej3E.-*Mu S. Morrin said : I have been asked to submit it to the meeting that if the license fee were reduced from £5, say to £2 10s, there would be more competition, and the birds would bo better protected. The Secretary said it was too late for this year as the necessary reccomeudations as to amouDt, &c, had gone to Wellington.

Shooting Season. — The Secretary said that there appeared to be some misaprehensions as to the commencement of the season. It should be geuerally known that it did not commence until the 21st May. Same people were uuder the impression it commmenced the Ist of May. This was an error. To shoot birds before tho day specified in the proclamation would be to incur the penalties for a breach of the Act,