THE SHOOTING SEASON.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12478, 14 April 1906, Page 3

THE SHOOTING SEASON.

PREPARING FOR THE WILD DLCK.

INDISCRIMINATE SLAUGHTER EXPECTED.

APATHY AND INACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

The preservation of native game has long been a matteT absorbing the time and attention cf tho various Acclimatiration Societies in tho colony, which are naturally anxious to postpone its extinction as long ns possible. But, unhappily, there is every reason to fear th'it unless some immediate action is taken to stay tho indiscriminate slaughter which regularly takes place when the shooting season opens, the wild duck will shortly bo wiped out in this part of the colony. Tlie season open; on the Ist of May, and alroady the pot-hunter is preparing for it. The favourite method of "cylinder" shooting was described in Mr Cce's letter to the Acclimatisation Society, which we published on Thurtday, and in order to gain some further information on the subject, a " Prces'' representative had a chat with Dr. Moorhcuso, president of the Society, on Thuridav afternoon.

Dr. Moorhouso said :—" Tho length of these cylinder*, .is fixed by our regulation, is 30 inches, but they aro now making them ■with a floor and towing them out to the -weed bod in tho middle of Lake Ellesmere, which has hitherto been an excellent natural sanctuary for tho ducks. This weed bed is about 500 acres in extent, ami the ducks havo always been able to find shelter there whoa shooting was going on around them. The men who use these cylinders are shooting for tho trade, and there is not one of them that does not hi* ducks. They are not supposed to sell ducks till the Ist of June, hut thero is no doubt that they are shooting hard during tho whole of May and putting ths ducks in tho freezer or selling them to tho dealer, who will do tho freezing himself. On the Ist of Juno they can be taken out and sold to the public. '• Any sportsman will agree that this wholesale 'laughter ' is not the game.' It is not sport at all. The ordinary man can't afford to spend his time carting a cylinder about and towing it out into tho lake to shcot from. Tho professionals, however, usually work in couples, and they get phenomenal bags. They havo been known to get 1000 ducks in a week, and if things are allowed to go on in this way, it means that the ducks will soon bo a thing of the past-. Another thing we know to be going on is this: One roan will take out a license, and will buy ducks from others to sell again to dealer.?. ''There is no doubt that a lot of poaching is going on, and that thope professionals are shooting ducks out of season nearly every night. We have had our rangers out there, and as long as they are about poaching stops, but as soon as wo take them away it will start again. Wo know of a oaeo where a man was supposed to have shot 80 ducks in one day aud put them into the freezer, but it could noi bo sheetod home. There is a'.wayß great difficulty in getting evidence. Tho local pooplo will not give it, beoauso if they did fear they might find their' stacks burned, their fences broken, or their crates left open, and so forth. 'There is only one way the present undesirable state of things can be remedied, and that is by legislation, but unfortunately tho Government docs not show the slightest desire to assist tho Acclimatisation Societies in the mat.ter."

Our reporter also saw Mr H. A. Bruce, secretary of tho Acclimatisation Societ5 r , who detailed tho efforts made by tho Council to direct tho attention of tho Government to tho urgent necessity of amending tho Animals Protection Act. Mr Bruce wrote to the Colonial Secretary on behalf of th© Canterbury Acclimatisation Socioty in 1904, drawing attention to th© wholesalo slaughter of ducks at Lake Ellesmere. He explained that tho Council had called a. special meeting of the Socioty and of sportsmen generally to consider tho question, and tlio outcome of that meeting was a set of recommendations, which wero subsequently considered at a special meeting of the Council of the Society. Tlio Council strongly urged the Government to give effect to theso regulations, otherwise there was a danger of the extermination of tho wild duck in this part of the colony. Tho following were the regulations submitted for the consideration of tie Government:—

1. That for tho purpose of shooting at Lake EKesmere no other device be allowed than— (a) A simplo cylinder with a depth of not more than 30in, and without a bottom; (b) a scrub with hut mimi or mud hole; (c) and, further, that such cylinder scrub rush hut mimi or ruud holo shall not be set out, planted, or used in water of a preater depth than 30in, and that from July 31st. 1904. no cylinders whatever of any mnkc. device, depth, or width be permitted to be used at Lake Ellesmcro for the purpose of duck shootimz, provided that nothing herein contained shall he so construed 83 ti> prevent shotting out cf an undressed boat, hidden in the reeda growing along the shore of tho lake or streams, ot the use of a boat to recover wounded birds. 2. That the sa.'o of frame be illegal during the first month of the shooting season. 3. That no shooti"? he allowed on Lake jvllcsmero between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. 4. That every licensed dealer of game shall keep a register, and enter therein from whom he purchase* pnrae. and the district from whence the pame csme. and any licensed denier entering a false name in such r»or purchasing garao from any person not holding a license to sell gume shall be liable to a penalty of not more than £5. nor !ess than £2, and upon conviction for an offence under this section nhnll have his license to sell fame cancelled. This important communication was duly acknowledged, a.nd the Council anxiously awaited action on tho part of the Government. Sinoo then there havo boon two conference of the representatives of the various .Acclimatisation Societies in Wellington, and on each occasion the Colonial Secretary was urged to try and got the law altered with as little delay as possible.

Last se=sior. a half-hearted effort to deal with tho matter was made, but the Bill, which would have given a measure of relief, died peacefully and without a struggle when the usual clearance of the Order Piiper was made at the fag end of the session.

In March, of 190.1, the Canterbury Acclimatisation Soriety again moved in the matter, referring the Colonial Secretary to its action of the previous year and submitting that unle«w fomething was done it would be nectnssary to apply for a elc,*e season.

•We do not want to ask for a close season," said Mr Bruce, "for we recogni* l that it would impose a great hard-

-..hip on many legitimate sport=nnen, who look forward to their shooting nt Kllesmrro every year. Nor is there any necessity for a close poason if wo could only stop the undesirable slaughter that is carried on by a few individuals. I have writtpn to the Colonial Secretary again to-day. urging the alteration of tho law to give the Governor power to regulate the shooting of native game and to prevent tho unsportsmanlike pot-hunting which is carried on to such a deplorable extent at Lake Ellesmere. But it is very difficult to get the Government to move. They are ready enough to do anything for a show place, like Lake Botoriia. but Lake Elleemere is absolutely neglected." Mr Bruce also remarked that the annual conferences of Acclimati c ation Societies were a source of considerable expense to each individual society, and it was very hard that their recommendations should be '-pigeon-holed" every time.

Our Dunedin correspondent advises us that the Premier lias informed the Dunedin City members that h<; will advise tho Colonial Secretary not to agree to the Ota/*o Acclimatisation Society's request to continue tho clc<e season for duck ehcoUns,