Helicopter hunting ban extended

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 2

Helicopter hunting ban extended

I LV Z. Press Association) < ASHBURTON. 1 March 16. ; The ban on helicopter j hunting in the Rakaia 'catchment system of has been extended for another 11 weeks, which will enable the survival of many of I this year’s fawns.

I The extension comes after, (an approach by the Big! I Game Hunters’ Association: ;to the Conservator of Foriests for Canterbury and! JWestland (Mr J. W. Levy). ! J After talks between Mr! pLevy and Mr B Candy.! ■chairman of the Ashburton; ‘(branch (and South Island) I) vice-president) of the Big 1 ..Game Hunters’ Association.) Tithe Forest Service agreed to) I the branch's proposals and! ; amended three commercial; (permits issued to venison-' recovery firms. In a letter to the secretary of the Ashburton branch of. the association (Mr' M. : Eaden) Mr Levy said helicopter hunting in the Rakaia. Mathias, and Wilberforce river catchments had! been stopped from February! (16 to May 3. The conservator said the ; halt would allow full opportunity for recreational hunting during the roaring sea|son and Easier. ; “This is a major achievement for recreational huntiers in having the Forest SerJvice recognise the low animal numbers available for hunting,” Mr Eaden said. "Since the conservator ■ had operations stopped from ’I December 15, 1975, to Feb-’ ’ ruary 15, for the Christmas; ! holidays, it will allow a six-; ' month respite for animals from helicopter shooting, “which will enable this year's ; intohftlut pile-np Chain-reaction crashes in ) heavy morning fog piled up ■ 146 vehicles on the Stuttga r t-Hedbronn autobahn, killing two people and in- : Turing 30 others. A total of ■ 130 cars and 16 trucks were J involved in three dozen re- ' dated crashes' at the Ludwigsburg North intersection while visibility was limited

1 to 30 yards. Both sides of the four-lane super-highway ’ were blocked while two- ■ trucks nulled the vehicles : aside under supervision of; |7O policemen. — Stuttgart, j

.fawns to survive, and stags jin the velvet to mature.” I Letters had been sent to (branches of the Deerstalkers' • Association, Mr Eaden said. | advising them of the arirangements made with the ! Forest Service and calling lon their members to avoid | wanton waste of “rapidly diminishing game rei sources.” [ The letters also asked the I Deerstalkers’ Association to I join in negotiations being ■ carried out on behalf of i sportsmen by the Big Game Hunters’ Association. Land use by different : interest groups had ■ become an increasingly important .issue in recent years, Mr ■Laden said. He criticised the iGovernment for allowing the 'transfer of the pastoral lease of Cecil Peak station, on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. to the American consortium of Alexander Dawson Inc. Mr Eaden said the 35,0001 acre property was one of I many such areas lost to forieign ownership, when all governments should keep ■New Zealand for New Zealanders, and out of foreign hands