TARANAKI TROUBLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 117, 19 May 1945, Page 6

TARANAKI TROUBLE

WILD PIGS ON FARMS

HORDES IN BUSH AREAS

O.C. NEW PLYMOUTH, this day Continual damage being done to pasture land by wild pigs infesting certain bush and scrub-covered areas in Central Taranaki, despite persistent efforts to decrease their numbers, is still regarded by farmers as a major problem. Figures given by the Department of Agriculture at Stratford show that so far this year more pigs have been destroyed than last year.' The extent to which wild pigs are infesting the areas was revealed by a farmer at Aotuhia, which is about 12 miles from Whangamomona and which is situated in country heavily infested by pigs. Aotuhia is a well known hunting area, and almost every week-end, and even on week days, parties hunt and destroy scores of pigs. An idea of the number of pigs on his own property was given by the farmer. Last year, he said, 1400 pigs were killed and counted on his farm by various groups of men, and many more were mortally wounded but were able to get away. On§ man who spent five weeks on his property destroyed 660 pigs, and in the last two days two hunters killed 50 pigs between them. In'spite of this, however, there appeared to be just as many pigs left. At times, continued the farmer, some pigs ventured so close to his homestead that he shot several from his verandah, but they .mainly inhabited the hills. It was in the lambing season that farmers were most deeply concerned by the large numbers of marauding pigs, the farmer said. Considerable numbers of young lambs were killed each season on farms where pigs were numerous, but the greatest damage was caused by the rooting of good land. Some areas of land over which pigs have passed resembled ploughed paddocks. The damage the pigs did was enormous. The animals in all the affected areas were large and healthy.