No Action On Pigs Yet

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31177, 29 September 1966, Page 3

No Action On Pigs Yet

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 28. There is no immediate prospect of legislation to ’“devalue” wild pigs, as was done some years ago in the case of rabbits, as a step towards eradication.

The Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard), in answer to a question by Mr P. Blanchfield (Opp., Westland) said in Parliament today that the and Southland Wild Pig Council had recently recommended to the Southland Noxious Animals Advisory Committee that wild-pig meat should be devalued and had written to him giving details of the remit it had put forward.

“The Noxious Animals Advisory Committee- decided not to act on the recommendations made, and I am in agreement with its decision,” Mr Gerard said. “I have notified the Otago and Southland Wild Pig Council accordingly.” Mr Gerard said opossum control was steadily becoming more effective, particularly since air-dropping poison bait began in 1961. At present an inter-depart-mental committee was investigating opossum infestation on the east coast of the North Island and Government incentives were given to rabbit boards and county councils to carry out control work.

The committee, comprising representatives of the Depart-

ment of Agriculture, the D.5.1.R., and the Forest Service, would shortly present its report on the east coast and then begin a survey on the central plateau of the North Island. “Altogether, on a national basis, the Government’s contribution is £4 for every £1 contributed by farmers,” said Mr Gerard. Where land was intensively farmed, such as in the Wairarapa, Manawatu, Waikato and Canterbury, there was little damage from opossums. There was considerable misunderstanding on the effect of opossums on native forest, which could carry large numbers of opossums without serious harm to the trees. War Debt The Acting-Minister of Finance (Mr Seath) said the Second World War cost New Zealand £670 million. “The public accounts for the year ended March 31 last show that slightly more than £36 million of war loan? between 1939-45 are still included in the Public Debt.” Price Control One prosecution had been taken so far this year for breach of the approved price of a commodity subject to price control, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall). Five

cases were pending and 179 warnings were issued leading to compliance with approved prices.

Replying to Mr W. F. Freer (Opp., Mt. Albert), Mr Marshall said his department employed 16 enforcement officers who were located at one or other of the four main centres. Their duties included the inspection of prices of goods still subject to price control and the investigation of the prices of a number of goods no longer subject to control. The basis of pricing foodstuffs subject to price control could not be varied without the approval of the pricing authority. Timber Buildings The Minister of Works (Mr Ailen) said a statement by the director of the United Kingdom Timber Research and Development Association should be taken with some reservations. The report said the director claimed that timber could be used for the frames of nonresidential building construction to 10 storeys. Mr Allen said most large buildings were built in town areas and, inevitably, local body by-laws would eliminate the use of wood in them. But in theory, there was no reason why timber buildings could not be constructed higher than at present providing the right types of timber were available.