POND-SHOOTING OF DUCKS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22306, 21 January 1938, Page 12

POND-SHOOTING OF DUCKS

* STRONG CONDEMNATION EXPRESSED MINISTER TO BE NOTIFIED OF PRACTICE Strong condemnation of the practice of the pond-shooting of ducks, because of the heavy toll on bird life and the detriment to stocks of game, was expressed at a conference of South Island Acclimatisation Societies' delegates yesterday. After a long discussion it was decided that societies should be urged to concentrate on ranging and that the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) be advised of the evils of the practice. "Our experience is that an enormous toll is taken on ponds," said Mr C. H. Lawrence (North Canterbury). "There is a great ddal of illegal shooting. In addition, the birds leave the lakes to go to ponds where they are fed only to be taken later in very large quantities. "We regard this pond-shooting as such a serious matter that unless it is curbed it will undoubtedly have a very detrimental effect on stocks of game. Other societies are suffering in the same way. We i'eel that pondshooting should be restricted in some way." Mr J. McDonald (South Canterbury): I am quite in favour of restrictions; but the difficulty is that while we can easily make regulations we i wiil not find it as easy to enforce them. Shooting rights are quite different; lrom lislung rights. An open river is very different from privately-owned land. In the circumstances we have lo be a little more diplomatic. j Mr D. Cuthbeitson (Southland): The j greatest difficulty is to stop feeding. | Mr G. L. Pomfret-Dodd (chairman):! in the absence of any statutory restraint, the only tiling the North] Canterbury Society has been able to. no is to appeal to the landowners, themselves. At the same lime 1 thinii' the Minister would consider favour-! ably any application for reasonable! restraint, because I am informed thatj he is very definitely opposed to certain| forms of pond-shooting such as were I practised last season. I "The two main points arc the un-l due slaughter and the subsequent trading," the chairman added. "The average sportsman, however, goes out. primarily lor sport." After condemning the practice of men shooting large numbers of ducks and selling them, Mr Lawrence suggested the following motion: "That this council views wiln alarm the indiscriminate slaughter due to the absence of any statutory restraint." ; Mr Culhberlsun: And the Minister ! will turn round and say, "if you know of these cases why don't you prosecute?" 1 think we would be laying I eurselves open to a snub. | Mr Lawrence: it is a matter which will have to be tackled. Mr Culhberlsun: 1 quite agree; but it is a problem tor which we tiave never been able to find a satisfactory solution. Uii nirther discussion, it was agreed that societies should concentrate on ranging and bring the evils of punusliooting to the Minister's notice.