SHOOTING IN THE COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 91, 21 April 1891, Page 2

SHOOTING IN THE COUNTRY.

(To tho Editor.)

Sir,—ln your issue of tho 9th Inst, appeared a fetter by Mr S. S. I.apson, of Kaukapakapa, re surveyors and thoir .porting dogs. Will you allow mo a brief space in which to reply to some of Mr Rupson'a charges, as they are apt to create a wrong impression unless the general public hear both sides of the atory. In tho first place, I will admit our dog _ did cc. among a settlor's sheep, and worried several. We, bowover, wont at once to tho settler, apologised for the trouble and annoyance caus.d, and offered to pay for all dania_e done. VVo also asked tho settler to send in his bill, which has been done. With regard to the sheep worried at- tho previous camps wo wero in, I emphatically deny that our dogs had anything to do with it. On the occasion when the dauiago teas done, the dogs in the first instance started after rabbits, and ono of them being a young dog, they chased thesheepassoon astheystartedtorun. From what Mr Ilapson says, ono would gather that wo roamed indiscriminately over the settlers' property, without first asking leave. Now, iiir, this is not tho case. We have shot in and around Kaukapakapa for the last two seasons, and have always asked leave before going over a settler's land, and, with but one exception, always had it courteously granted, the settlers and ourselves bein«; on the best of terms. Mr Rapson makes a statement regarding an officer of tho Public Works Department, which, besides being untrue, is decidedly unfair. As he must know, servants of thab branch of the service are not allowed to engage in newspaper correspondence in order to refute any charges made against them. Mr Rapson states that tho officer in question sent " thirty-three and a half brace of teal and duck to an Auckland dealer on the first day of the season." On behalf of the officer referred to, I flatly contradict that statement, and, moreover, add that ho has never sold a bird to any dealer in his life, and that the birds when sent (with bhe exception of two brace which ho kept for his own household) wore to friends in town.—l am, etc., One of the Surveyors. Kaukapakapa.