KEEPING OF PHEASANTS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21968, 17 December 1936, Page 6

KEEPING OF PHEASANTS

PROBLEM OF PRIVATE BREEDERS

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY SEEKS CONTROL

For some considerable ' time, the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has been concerned about pheasants being bred for sale by private i owners, and, in a recent letter to the Department of Internal Affairs, it stated that, until it could obtain control of all pheasant breeding in the district, it would be very hard to take any action over breaches of the game laws which were taking place in its territory. "We feel," wrote the society, "that if arrangements could be made bv vour department to vest in our society control of the breeding of these birds and authority to issue permits to those approved of for the breeding of birds on behalf of the society, this step would no doubt be in the right direction, in order that the society have a proper check on the way the birds are being bred and liberated." At last night's meeting of the society, a letter was read from the Under-Sec-reatry for Internal Affairs, advising that a breeding permit for the society I was not necessary, as an acclimatisation society was the recognised body for the breeding of game birds, subject to any Ministerial approval as to the taking of birds and eggs, and importation and liberation as required by the Animals Protection and Game Act, and regulations. "The question of pheasants being in the hands of private breeders is." continued the letter, "a matter which has given some acclimatisation societies some concern The matter has been the subject of a good deal of correspondence with the Auckland society, and that society has narrowed down the difficulties considerably by approaching the various holders of pheasants, on whom, of course, there is a legal responsibility to prove lawful possession, and have recommended the issue of authorities to a number of Dersons to hold and breed pheasants on conditions which give the society control of the situation." The secretary reported that, in acknowledging the department's letter, he had suggested that the department should authorise the society to proceed by way of a public notice in the press, requesting all those who desired, to make application to the department for authority, with the approval of the society, to breed birds, providing they were liberated in the district, or disposed of through the society. A reply had yet to be received to this request of the society. The game committee of the society advised that a report had been received from Mr A. A. Gibb, after a recent visit by him to the Hurunui district, stating that the pheasant and quail were doing remarkably well in that district.