Less profit in Drug measures deer ‘war’ planned

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33413, 20 December 1973, Page 3

Less profit in Drug measures deer ‘war’ planned

(New Zealand Press Association) BLENHEIM, December 19. A dramatic slump in venison prices might mean the end of the deer-hunting helicopter troubles in the South Island and bring sanity back to the game-meat industry, say Marlborough sources in the industry.

During- the last few weeks venison prices have dropped from the record $1 and more per lb last spring to less than 30c per Ih for top-grade carcases. Agents agree that a reason for the skimp may be a combination of factors on the European market: a normal seasonal fluctuation and the fuel crisis. While prices are expected to rise next year with renewed demand, agents in Marlborough do not expect the prices to return to the peak of last spring. A cause of the helicopter “war” in the south-west of the South Island, and widespread poaching and trespassing by “fence-hopping” shooters elsewhere, has apparently been an equally fierce price war between the major gaihe-recovery companies. Some agents said the companies were making as little as a ic profit on a pound of venison, and the cut-throat competition could not continue.

This was probably another factor in bringing clown the 1 price. The situation which [had developed this year was doing no-one any good. In Marlborough, where the ideer population is comparatively thin, the accent has been on wild pigs, whichj I have been brought from the! I bush in thousands in the last} 'year. But the price of wild pork I has also dropped, and the best price offering now is 25c ;per lb, the lowest for two i years. This might be welcomed by farmers, especially ! lin the Marlborough Sounds.' i whose stock has been worried : Iby shooters and by roaming: pig dogs, which have been ‘ lost by shooters.

WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. The growth of drug abuse and trafficking in New Zealand was a matter of considerable concern, the Minister of Police (Mr Connelly) said tonight.

The Minister was commenting in a statement on a report from Auckland in which the head of the Auckland drug squad (Detective Sergeant B. J. Stewart) said “mini-Mafia” drug rings were now working in Auckland. “I have this year approved that additional resources, both police and Customs, be committed in an effort to stamp out the illicit use of drugs,” said Mr Connelly. He would be placing proposals before the Cabinet in January on the deportation of non-New Zealand-

ers convicted of drug offences.

During the year the Police Department, at Mr Connelly’s request, had

held discussions with other departments about the need for amendments to the law to make such deportations possible.

“I will also be seeking a strengthening of the law to provide a salutary deterrent where the illegal carriage or use of a firearm is involved in the commission of an offence,” Mr Connelly said.

“As far as organised crime is concerned, be it in relation to drugs or anything else, the maximum police resources will be emploved to eliminate it.

“The police would welcome information from the public which could help identify the criminal elements involved,” Mr Connelly said.

N.Z. Press Association)