ACCLIMATISATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 260, 2 November 1932, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION.

A NATIONAL SCANDAL. (To the Editor.) The more I think about acclimatisation societies and their deeds the more I become convinced that they constitute one of the "raves t scandals in this Dominion, a scandal that should be righted without delay. The latest preposterous suggestion emanated, if I remember correctly, from their Dominion president at a recent conference at Wellington. It was that the cultivation of opossums should be encouraged, with the safeguard of a wire fence. Now if these acclimatisation folk knew anything about the habits of the pests they are so fond of importing, to the ruin of New Zealand, they would know that opossums cannot be confined by any kind of fence known to science or engineering—unless they are prepared- to spend a few thousand pounds a mile on sheet steel. I have had many attempts at keeping opossums; and I can tell the acclimatisation people that an opossum's teeth have as much respect for iron and steel wire as a dentist's drill would have for the acclimatisation gentlemen's teeth. Meanwhile, the opossums ravage our native bush and our orchards; and, if their pelts are of temporary commercial value it is only until women's fickle fashions change. These acclimatisation, folk, acting in ignorance, imported trout that have almost devoured whitebait; and to protect their practically valueless trout they imported the riverweed (Elodea), which costs the taxpayers untold sums ofi money to keep cut lest it block up the drainage system. As if rabbits were not bad enough, they have inflicted the deer pest on us; and. they have the effrontery to want the protection kept on. No one knows how much in good, solid cash the capers of these acclimatisation enthusiasts have c6st us. Why didn't the Expenditure Commission pick on to them, instead of bothering with such things as education that cost only a few millions at the most and do give a return? These pernicious societies ought to he made to devote all their funds to putting right the damage they have done. Then they in turn could 'be exterminated without more trouble than a few sore hearts of gentlemen who would like to make New Zealand a hunting ground for lords such as was England in the bad. old Middle Ages. GIVE US A REST.