ACCLIMATISATION PROBLEMS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17985, 31 January 1924, Page 5

ACCLIMATISATION PROBLEMS.

SPORTSMEN'S VIEWS. Several Christchnrch sportsmen gave their opinions yesterday on the acclimatisation problems outlined by Mr G. W. Mcintosh, ex-president of the Otago Acclimatisation Society at a recent meeting. In his speech, which was published in yesterday's issue, Mr Mcintosh dealt with the overstocking of trout, deer and opossums. Mr M. H. Godby said that on the whole he agreed with Mr Mcintosh's views.

Mr E. M. Caffin, of the Deer Committee of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, explained that the Society was trying to prevent deterioration in its two remaining herds, the Bakaia and the Poulter river, by extensive culling. In the Rakaia herd", the Deer Committee - had recently taken out 300 head, which were not up to the standard required. As soon as the stalkers went out, culling operations would begin again. He mentioned that the Government had practically taken the matter out of the hands of the Societies by declaring all the deer north of the Clarence river vermin. Commenting on the overstocking of trout, he said, "Mr Mcintosh is quite right. It has been proved that Lake Taupo and Rotorua that by constant extermination and weeding out the size of the fish may be doubled in four or five years. Through a system of netting and cleaning out the slabs, the fishing in those districts is practically as good now as it was 15 or 20 years ago."

"The deer are right out of control," said Mr L. A. Shand, and the only way of culling them, is with salt licks and poison. Shooting will assist to a small extent, but it will never rectify the matter." Mr Shand did not know whether the overstocking of trout was a contributing cause to disease, but he was satisfied that it caused a deterioration in size. The opossums, he said, were cleaning out the native birds in the bush, and it was a great pity that either deer or opossum had been introduced to Stewart Island.