WILD LIFE CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 200, 24 August 1945, Page 8

WILD LIFE CONTROL

NATIONAL COUNCIL URGED

PROPOSAL, TO MINISTER

With a view to co-ordinating research and improving the administration of wild life control, the executive of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society has suggested to the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, that a national wild life council, representative of all interests, be set up, and that the scientific control of wild life be vested in it. It is reported that the proposals were favourably received by the Minister, who is now considering them. The proposals put to the Minister followed on a report supplied by Dr. Gilbert Archey at the request of the Auckland and Canterbury Acclimatisation societies. It is suggested to the Minister that the council should consist of seven executive members, made up as follows: a representative from the Departments of Internal Affairs, Agriculture, Forestry, Public Works, the North and South Island acclimatisation societies' councils, and a chief executive officer. The executive mentions that it is assumed that scientists from the majority of the above departments would be chosen, and that the personnel oMhe council would, be fully qualified to administer the complex problems of wild life. Additional advisory members, it is further suggested, should be appointed from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Tourist Department and the Royal Society. Duties of Executive Officer In clarification of the position the promoters of the proposals state: "The chief executive officer shall be a scientist and shall be fully qualified in problems of wild life. He shall be appointed by the National Wild Life Council, and will be a full-time research scientist in all matters pertaining in general to wild life and, in particular, to game as administered by societies. Research investigations decided upon by the National Council shall be allotted to the most suitable departmental research divisions. ..••'.. "The chief executive officer, who might, be called the Director of Research or, better still, the Director of Wild Life, will' be engaged partly in research concerned with game, but his scope will be wider, as it will involve native bird welfare, introduced animals in relation to agriculture and forestry, and other national interests. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that part of the. expense of the Director of Wild Life and his staff will be borne by national funds. . "The societies to assist the research division of the Wild Life Council shall make a statutory levy of 10 per cent on all shooting license and the statutory levy for vermin' control shall be reduced to 10 per cent. The administration of the policy settled by the council in relation to game shall remain in acclimatisation societies and authorities. "Dr. Archey," the statement adds, "has suggested that the national council shall be segregated in the Prime Minister's Department; since it covers the whole field of wild life its problems are not those of any one Department. On the other hand, it might remain in the Department of Internal Affairs by virtue of its long control of wild life."