CANADA GOOSE DRIVE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29890, 2 August 1962, Page 16

CANADA GOOSE DRIVE

Opposition By Sportsmen The proposal of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society to hold a Canada .goose drive at Lake Ellesmere next Sunday was discussed at a meeting of the Springs-Ellesmere sportsmen’s Association at Leeston After 12 members had spoken it was unanimously agreed, on the motion of Messrs W. J. Doyle and R. B' Hill, to register a strong protest with the society against holding a drive as a means of exercising control over goose numbers. Points made in the discussions were that while it was recognised that a measure of control was necessary, a drive was an undesirable method for various reasons, one being that the herding of the birds by aeroplane for mass destruction would inevitably lead to much cruelty, and that this would bring strong public criticism, to the detriment of the sport of game shooting generally Farmer members- present said that reports of damage by geese had been exaggerated to justify the holding of a drive, in which the majority of shooters would feel they could not participate because such a method lacked sportsmanship.

Mention was made of the decision of the society, with the Minister's approval to declare for the firs', time a short open season for goose shooting during the harvest next February. It was at this period, members said, that geese visited farms to feed and that all shooters would then have opportunities to secure a share of the birds under sporting conditions Numbers it was contended would be substantially rei duced and the method should have been given a trial before considering a drive Asked what his attitude had been to the proposed drive as a member of the council of ‘he Acclimatisation Society, the chairman of the association <Mr W L Donald) said he had vigorously opposed it at council meetings.

New Position.— Dr E R Duncan, the New Zealandborn beadmaster of a leading Svdney school. Newington College, has resigned, and will go to America as professor of mathematics and education in the gradua’e school of education at Rut-ge-s University. New Jersey —Sydney, July 31.