23

C.—3

For several reasons experiments in marketing venison have not been as successful as was anticipated. The killing is usually done in localities far removed from highways or rail and transport of carcasses is therefore slow and costly. It would appear that to be commercially successful venison should be delivered at the nearest freezing-works at a cost not exceeding 4d. per pound, whereas experiments to date have resulted in a cost far exceeding that figure. In heavily stocked areas shooting by private parties may lower the cost, but the difficulty in maintaining a regular supply over a lengthy period, so necessary to successful marketing, appears almost insuperable at present. Further " salt lick " experiments were carried out in the native forest areas, and although one " lick " was poisoned with strychnine the result was unsatisfactory. Local climatic conditions seem to militate against the success of these experiments, and another contributing factor is the mobility of deer in the native forests and their apparent avoidance of places disturbed by man. In plantations in the pumice areas, however, present evidence indicates that the " licks " eventually attract deer and thus facilitate their destruction. Opossums. The opossum is the only acclimatized animal from which revenue accrues to the State Forests Account. The total receipts from this source during the year under review amounted to £4,575 13s. Bd., a decrease of £164, compared with th 6 year 1928-29. As in past years, this revenue has been applied towards the cost of regulating and supervising opossum areas and in the destruction of deer, wild pigs, goats, and forest vermin with a view to protecting forest-regeneration and food-supplies for birds. For some years opossum-pelts have found ready overseas markets and good prices have been obtained for first-grade skins, but in common with all hides, the prices for this product now show a falling tendency, and it would appear almost certain that the relatively high prices secured by trappers during the past two years will not be maintained in 1930. In addition, an appreciable lowering in the quality of the general average skin coming in to the market from numerous localities is noticeable. This loss in quality and value will show a progressive increase unless and until fresh breeding-stocks are released. Action in this direction must, however, remain in abeyance until the habits of the animal and its effect upon its botanical and biological environment are more definitely ascertained, and with a view to assisting in this direction an experimental opossum-control plot has been established for observation purposes in a State forest in the Wellington Region. The area has been securely fenced against all browsing animals, but is freely accessible to opossums. The experiment commenced in the Wellington Region in 1929 by the demarcation of State Forest No. 35 into twenty opossum-trapping blocks has proved successful, and consequently thirty-two additional blocks have been surveyed and will be balloted for in due course. The scheme is advantageous to trappers as it ensures a certainty of employment during the severest winter months—July and August. Moreover, inspection of blocks by forest officers is facilitated, definite boundaries are established, and this, together with the introduction of branded traps, has resulted in skins being marketed in better condition. An extension of this system to other State forests is contemplated, and will be put in hand as rapidly as staff can be made available. It is satisfactory to record that poaching appeared to be less serious than in previous years, most of the offences being of a minor character ; for this a closer patrol of opossum areas by forest officers and the block system of allotment are to some extent responsible. A feature of the year's work has been the marked interest evinced in the introduction of a more humane type of trap. Several different types have been submitted to and examined by the Service, but apparently one which will be satisfactory from all points of view has yet to be made. Pigs. A bounty of Is. per wild pig was paid on 26,544 pigs killed in the following districts Nelson, 896 ; Rotorua, 2,395 ; Auckland, 7 ; Taranaki, 23,246. As a menace to forests and farms wild pigs are second only to deer and goats and more effective methods of extermination are continually being sought and tested. So far the commercial tanning of pig-skins has been unsuccessful, for research has shown that New Zealand wild-pig hides have not the characteristics of the American product, which produces a very fine grade of leather suitable for many purposes. The American species belongs to the peccary family, the bristles of which are spaced irregularly in groups of three, but the local animal is apparently a product of the domestic variety. Fresh avenues are being explored to find a use for the local product. No satisfactory poison-mixture for pig-destruction on a large scale has yet been found, but further experiments will be continued to this end. Goats. Goats, which are extremely destructive to forests, are increasing in Taranaki, Nelson, and portions of Otago, notwithstanding continuous shooting by field officers. Fjxperimental shipments of goat-skins are under consignment to overseas markets for leather-testing. It is hoped that the quality will equal the hide of the Indian mountain goat, which is the present standard goat-hide on the world's markets. Campers and trappers are now being given free ammunition to shoot goats upon production of their tails—the ratio being three rounds to each tail produced.