THE GREY DUCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1937, Page 6

THE GREY DUCK.

CLOSE SEASON NEEDED.

(By J.C.)

The necessity for a. long', close season for the native grey duck, in order to prevent its disappearance from tlie country, has more than once been urged in these columns. Tens of thousands of duck are shot every year; there never Iras been a season in which the waterf"»vl are free from slaughter, although the decrease in numbers has "been apparent to those interested in native bird life. The acclimatisation societies are no help; on the contrary, they have resisted the efforts made to secure protection for this fast-vanishing species. Their only concern is t-o provide sport for llie gunner, but they may soon discover thai there are no duck to shoot in some disiiiots. Over a long period writers in the "Stai" and the Forest and Bud Protection Society have been advocates of a close season, but the acclimatisation societies have had tn<ngs their own way. Now, a>a ever, the-e <ire indications that this indifference to the claims of wild life will be alta-ed. The Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, told a gathering at Paraparaumu lately that the grey duck was going; it was a •wonder it had held out so long against the guns. He considered a close season was neccssary. He knew the acclimatisation societies did ncit agree with him; nevertheless, with the dwindling sources of food supply and the intensified attacks on the duck, it must receive proper protection if it was not to disappear altogether.

Mr. Parry is a sportsman himself, and he has watt-hod with regret the yearly diminution in the mimhers of duck observed in the places where they were once to be had in plenty. He is the first Minister of the Crown, in my experience, who has manifested a keen interest in the preservation of the prey duck, the principal native game bird. Now it is in his power to give effect to the principle he has enunciated.

There was much talk some time ago about a council or board to deal with all matters affecting wild life in the Dominion, a body on which all interests would be represented. A conference was held in Wellington, and it was generally agreed that a central advisory body was desirable to assist the Department of Internal Affaire. No doubt more will be heard of this shortly.

One thing appears clear, and that is that the dictatorial attitude that the acclimatisation societies like to assume in matters of sport should be dealt with pretty sharply by the Minister in charge. The grey duck, like other birds, should he regarded as something better than mere food for powder, a target for the often unsportsmanlike gunner who resorts to all kinds of mean tricks to fill a bag or a motor car. A close season for at least three years seems needful to give the duck a fair chance to survive and increase.