NIGHT SHOOTING OF GEESE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28440, 21 November 1957, Page 21

NIGHT SHOOTING OF GEESE

Objection By Sportsmen

Disappointment was expressed at a meeting of the SpringsEllesmere Sportsmen’s Association that the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society had decided, at its meeting last week, to recommend to the Wild Life Division of the Department of Internal Affairs the granting of permission to again shoot Canada geese at night, during next open season for game, over part of Lake Ellesmere, and also that the same privilege should be extended to the case of black swans.

The council had made its decision, it was stated, notwithstanding a petition against any form of night shooting, signed by over 400 farmers and sportsmen, as well as protests from the Lake Settlers’ Association, the Commercial Fishermen’s Federation and the Ellesmere Gun Club which had recently been sent to the Wild Life Division. The decision had also been made against the advice of the society’s rangers* committee, which had pointed out the impossibility of adequately ranging the area at night. The view was expressed that a continuance of night shooting would have a detrimental effect upon future stocks of all game birds in the area, and that there would be an increase in illicit shooting. It was hoped that the Wild Life Division would give the matter further consideration before accepting the society’s recommendation. Fishermen’s Rights The association discussed a letter received from an angler, who said he had been ordered away from a lake flat area by a farmer who had charged him with trespass. He had gone to the locality by boat and had not moved above the water line. The lake was at a high level at the time ancj the matter was one thatf concerned a large number of anglers. A member sakl that a ruling had been given that fishermen were within their rights so long as they did not fish above the farmer’s boundary pegs. When the lake was high, however, the water was too deep except for fishing from a boat. The view was expressed that if, when the lake was high, anglers sought permission from occupiers of land before going on their properties it was usually given. There were many cases where permission was not sought and where farmers had trouble through damage to fences and gates being left open or insecurely fastened, allowing stock to become mixed or to stray.