DEER MENACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 269, 12 November 1937, Page 8

DEER MENACE.

MACHINE-GUNNING. DESTRUCTION METHODS. PILOT'S NOVEL. SUGGESTION. fßy Telegraph.—Parliamentary Report*r.> WELLINGTON, this day. A novel method of eradicating deer in the South Island wa« suggested in the House of Representatives this morning when a vote of £10,000 for de-true tion of deer was under consideration with the Internal Affairs Department's estimate*. Mr. J. O'Brien (Government. Westland) said he had recently flown over the West Coast districts nnd tile deer were fo thick that the pilots hail in formed him they might be eradicated l.y machine-gunning from the air He J suggested a royalty should be offered ; for <'eer destruction. The time had (omo f<»r s"rions steps .o be talun to i combat the menace. i Mr. K. .T. Hoi voake(Nationa I Mo'itleka) s'iggivt'd a bounty for private i deer '■talkers. Mr. W. J. Rroadfoot : (National. Waitomo) praised tli» work !of Departmental officials in reducing I the beds in Otago and Southland. | Tile Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr. !\irry, suggested bis Department should received congratulations on the way in | which the difficult tank of deer c\tcniin:i----j tion was being carried out. He ha 1 | declared war on this animal and was | 1 ui'ding up a skilled staff for the woi k. I When he realised the effect of <i.cr on the flora and fauna, and on p.od i i'v i activities, he felt fully justified. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr. I Hamilton: Is it not a profitable indus- | try 1 I The Minister replied in the negative, explaining that owing to a highly difficult countiy only 30 per cent of the skins could be sold though there was a good market. Between five and six thousand had been -cleared from very rough country.