Don’t fence thar in, says hunter

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 21

Don’t fence thar in, says hunter

The ''safari hunting licence" issued to Nev Zealand Trophy Guid' Services, for Lilyban: Station, Lake Tekapo, is one of the most inhumane acts any department Jr Government could dr. according to the national president of the Jig Game Hunters Assocktion (Mr B. Candy). Mr Candy has levelled strong criticism at the Lands Settlement Board and the Government for issuing the licence, which he said woutl allow wild animals to b? shot behind fences — wth no chance of escape. It appesred that the Govemmen was only interested n the "mighty dollar.’’ wthout a care for the sportitg ethics behind such a scieme, he said. His association had no objection to such an enterprise. M' Candy said, providing hunters did not use helicopers to shoot the animals and the animals were not confined.

Mr Candy said that Trophy Gude Services was directed last May to stop accepting safari bookings by the Department of Lands tnd Survey, and was toll that if it did not the lease of the station would be cancelled.

These appeared to be idle words, while the department tried to legalise what must have been an illegal business, because the station continued taking bookings. Mr Candy has obtained a letter from a man in the United States who wrote to Lilybank Station in September, asking how soon it could accommodate him on a hunting trip to get chamois and thar trophies. Mr Candy also has a cable sent by Mr Gary ■loll, who runs Lilybank, and Trophy Guide Services. to the American which states: “Come as soon as you can. Suggest guaranteed helicopter hunt for thar and chamois at 2000 dollars NZ. Make travel plans to Christchurch, South Island, notify us your flight number, date and time of arrival and we will meet you. Acknowledge this cable and indicate your wish to hunt immediately while quality of skins good”. The cable was signed Gary Joll.

His association had written to the Lands and Survey Department about the issue in October and December, and did not get a reply until the end of

January, said Mr Candy. It appeared that the department was stalling while it arranged to issue the licence, which he says may have been done the same week that the association received its letter. In the letter, the Director-General of Lands (Mr N. S. Coad) said the concern of the association about Lilybank Station was appreciated, but he could not give it any definite information about the case, because all communications between the Land Settlement Board and the station were considered confidential.

He then suggested that if the association wanted answers about the station’s activities, it contact the station. Mr Coad enclosed with his letter extracts from the Land Settlement Board policy on noxious animals, and tourist and recreational operations on unoccupied and crown lease land.

In the terms of that policy, it would not be possible for Lilybank to get a legal right to continue its hunting operations as carried out in the past, said Mr Coad. However, it now had a “safari hunting licence.”