"POACHING" PROTEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 10

"POACHING" PROTEST.

REVENUE CONFISCATION. ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY MAY LOSE £530. "RAIDING A NATIONAL ASSET." The action of the Government in discontinuing its grants to acclimatisation societies came in for trenchant criticism at the annual meeting of the Auckland society last evening. Mr. F. E. McKenzie, who presided, said the loss to the society would be about £530 a year. Acclimatisation societies and kindred organisations had built up an immensely valuable national asset in wild life, and now they were being victimised. It was flagrant piracy on the part of the Government to treat revenue obtained by way of royalty on opossums as general revenue. These,valuable furbearing animals had been introduced by acclimatisation societies and private persons, and the societies had controlled the industry, which was now of con- | siderable value. In 1929 the total revenue to the State from trappers was £11,700, of which one half was paid to societies. Much of the revenue was spent in game ranging, and a portion of the balance went to the Fish Research Board. The societies would be compelled to cease their work if this policy was continued. and that would mean the end of wild life! It was proposed that all fines for breaches of the game laws should go to the Consolidated Fund. The Government was actually taking that revenue, to help it out of a hole, even though it would not amount to more than £900 a year. Mr. T. S. Withers said acclimatisation societies were being treated as private and profitmaking organisations, whereas they were doing work of benefit to the whole community. The curtailment of their activities would be a national loss, and not merely a handicap. to sport. Mr. F._ G. Baskett declared that the Government's proposals amounted to poaching on the society's revenue. On the proposal of Mr. F. L. G. West it was decided to make a strong protest against the Government's proposals and to urge their reconsideration.