Overspending expected

Press, 9 April 1988, Page 3

Overspending expected

j The $9 million overspent by the Conservation Department was to be expected, said a North (Canterbury Parks and Reserves Board member yesterday. | The department was underfunded from the beginning, and it was surprising it was not further overspent, said Mr lan Calvert. i A lack of financial resources I meant departmental! staff were under great stress, he said. j | “At the moment they are stretched as far as they can go, and are only just coping under a tremendous load. “If they don’t get more physical and

material resources the whole concept of the department will fail. It is like a car with no petroL” • Almost 20M opossums have been killed in the first two months of an opossum control campaign in Arthur’s Pass National Park. While delighted with the" success of the work, some board members are concerned that the use of dogs in the area of the Deception River could put wildlife, such as kiwis, at risk. I Four opossum hunters are working under contract to the department In 37 days they killed and recovered 1934 opossums.