Stalkers’ view on thar

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33957, 25 September 1975, Page 9

Stalkers’ view on thar

{N.Z. Press Association.)

ASHBURTON.

As far as the Ashburton Deerstalkers’ Association was aware, there were no thar in the upper Ashburton Rivetarea and the association had at no time implied that noxious animals remained unchecked in the Ashburton or any other! river, said the association’s president (Mr R.| W. Burton) in a statement today.

The chairman of the South! Canterbury Catchment Board' (Mr G. A. Rountree) had! warned that if thar or other' noxious animals were! allowed to roam at will in! the Upper Ashburton River,! their destruction of vegeta-[ tion could lead to a build-up of shingle in the river, caus-i

ling a change of course which could pose a flood [threat to the town. ,i Mr Burton said that at no [time had the association advocated the spread of thar '[from their feral (given area) 'range. ■j “We class the Ashburton' (watershed as out of the feral) range,” he said.

[ All the association wanted, Mr Burton said, was 'for the animal population to ‘be maintained at a level ; compatible to environmental I factors and kept within their existing feral range, "We also agree that the northern spread of thar i should be stopped, and to our knowledge there is no I thar in the Ashburton water-' shed," Mr Burton said.

He said thar was a “gift” of nature to the people of New Zealand.

“Why should this animal) be shot to the point of ex-i termination? The policy ofi total control or ex- ■

Termination has been decided! upon by a small group of people in influential positions, namely catchment authorities, Government departments, and relevant Ministers of the Crown who do not know, or are not interested in knowing when an animal population is under control,” said Mr Burton The Canterbury Plains, had been formed by erosion action and erosion of the mountains would continue whether there were domestic or game animals on them or not.

“Why should noxious ani- ! mals be discriminated against when domestic stock I are allowed to range, and to [continue to do so after game, (animals have been re-| moved?” asked Mr Burton. ■ He said that thar numbers ■ could be controlled first bvi [recreational hunting, and [when this form of control' [was not efficient, by the use ! of the helicopter.