Society Favours Feeding Ponds

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31836, 14 November 1968, Page 14

Society Favours Feeding Ponds

Feeding of freshwater ponds for ducks may become standard practice if a remit passed by the annual meeting of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last evening is adopted by the South Island Council of Acclimatisation Societies.

Arguments in favour of the proposal suggested that pondfeeding would establish flight lines, along which there would be ample opportunities for sportsmen. Improvements to farmer-

sportsmen relations were also cited as a reason for encouraging the adoption of the remit.

Destruction of farm crops by ducks and the measure to which farmers could assist in pond feeding through irrigation schemes were held as examples of ways in which the ideas proposed in the remit could function effectively. At present the feeding of water-holes or ponds on farm properties is illegal and the official policy of the Wildlife branch of the Department of Internal Affairs favours the establishment of permanent habitats.

Wholesale slaughter of ducks would not be a result of the adoption of the remit, it was argued. The native cunning of the Mallard duck and the restriction forbidding the shooting of birds not in flight were adequate safeguards in that respect. The remit will be put to the South Island association by the North Canterbury Society at the next meeting of the association.

An extension of the gooseshooting season until the end of March in order to limit crop damage was also adopted by the meeting. Council members elected at the meeting were:—subdistrict officers: SuringsEllesmere, C. C. Skinner; Malvern-Selwyn, A. M. Richards; Amuri-Cheviot-Amber-ley, J. Dellaney.