ANIMALS’ PROTECTION BILL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 12, 8 October 1921, Page 8

ANIMALS’ PROTECTION BILL

SECOND READING DEBATE THE MEASURE EXPLAINED KILLING OF OPOSSUMS The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. I). Stewart) yesterday moved the second reading of the Animals’ Protection and Gaine Bill. He explained its provisions at some length. Mr. Stewart said that the Bill was largely a complication of previous legislation, but contained certain amendments or improvements which had been suggested by acclimatisation societies or had otherwise been recommended to the Department. The Bjll would not go through its committee stage for a little while, because it primarily affected the acclimatisation societies ami had been circulated among them with a request for the submission of comments or suggestions before the end of the present month. 'There was an important provision dealing with sanctuaries. Provision hgd been made to enable sanctuaries to be declared, in which it would be unlawful for any person to take or kill imported game without authority and except under conditions. The reason for the new provision was that the existing law was very weak. There was no proper pov>er nt present to declare a sanctuary, and there was nothing in the existing Jaw to prevent any person from taking a dog or a gun into the sanctuary. Open or Closed Seasons. In part 11, dealing with imported and native game, and making provision for the opening of the season, there was an important improvement, in reference to notifying the public whether the season was to be open or not, or whether it was to bo restricted or not. The preeent law was hardly workable, because under it. if a season was to be shorter than the fixed period allowed by the Act, it was necessary to give notice of tho opening and closing of it four months before May 1; but if, on the other hand, a close season was desired, notification had to be given not later than April 10. This had given rise to great confusion, . and the present proposal made the position clear. The effect of the old law was that if ths season was to be open only two months, four months’ notice had to he given, whereas if the season was to be wholly closed, only three weeks’ notice had to be gi,ven. This had caused much inconvenience to those who had made preparations and had outfitted themselves, purchased ammunition and so on. Opossums.

Part 3 of the Bill, dealing with opossums, was on much the same lines as previously, but the Department had. had one year’s experience now of the working of the. previous regulations, and proposed to make a number of amendments to facilitate dealing in opossum skins and so on. One problem that had given the Department a great deal of concern resided in the fact that when last June an open season for opossums was declared (the period being, chosen because it was the one in which the best skins were to be obtained) it was found that the season coincided with that during which the opossums carried their young in the pouch. It was naturally rather repugnant to those of true sporting instincts that the season should be coincident with such a period. Tho Department had been in communication with Australia in regard to the possibility' of overcoming the difficulty, but none of the States had found a system which would enable tho killing season- to avoid being concurrent with that ill which the vonng 1 ' were carried. A i"iigge-+ion Received was that onuy certain districts should he declared open, so that breeding in tho ofh"r districts should not be interfered with. Part 4 of tho Bill consisted simply of machinery clauses dealing with the constitution of acclimatisation societies and districts.

Natural Enemies of the Rabbit. Part 5 contained general provisions preventing the introduction of birds or animals into New Zealand without the consent of the Alinister, and especially prohibiting the importation of venomous reptiles and insects. There was also provision for the making ot regulations dealing with various matters set: out in the Act. He had been asked what the provision was in regard to hawks and ether reputed natural enemies of the rabbit. In the first, draft of the Bill there had been a clause which would require to be reinstated, enabling provision to be made in this connection. Members would see that, under part 1 the Governor-General had power to include further animals ns defined in the Act under the first schedule, but the animals were either totally protected throughout the rear or were totally free throughout the year. What the Agricultural Department desired was that power should he taken so that these particular animals or birds might be treated according to the necessities of tlie district. It might he advisable in some districts to grant protection, w’hile in others it might he advisable to take destructive measures.

"Government by Regulation." Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) criticised the Bill in a number of respects, complaining particularly that it was another instance of "government by regulation.” because such wide power to make regulations was provided Mr. A. S. ATalcolm (Clutha) hoped that there would be nothing in the legislation to permit opossum trappers to trespass, on private property. Opossums disappeared with the disappearance of the bush. Ho thought it desirable, therefore, that the utmost advantage should bo taken of present conditions. If the regulations were made too restrictive the opportunity would be lost of "making hay while tho sun "hone.” Mr. F. F. Tloekly (Rotorua! feared that the experience of the country with regard to the rabbit would be repeated with regard to tho opossum. Local bodies should be given power to deal with opossums, nnd should be invested with the rower of saying whether opossums to ol ’ld o' 1 should not be protected in their districts. Some definite arrangement about the disposal of royalties should be made in the Bill. He recommended that .the acclimatisation societies should receive a substantial percentage. The Smaller Societies.

Mr. T. E. Y. Sodden (Westland) said he hoped that the Minister would not use the clauses relating to the constitution of acclimatisation societies and districts to alter or abolish existing districts. There were some districts that, though small, had been buttling on for many years, and if anything was to be done to alter their districts or dishearten the societies it would prove n severe setback to the good work they had undertaken. He wished also to suggest that io the ease of small districts that did not show much of a profit on their year’s working some assistance might be given. Mr. Seddon further suggested that in some of the great: State forests of New Zealand opossums might be liberated. Investigators had stated that the animals did not injure the timber, and it would bo a good idea for the Government to liberate opossums where they could do no harm to settlers. If the price of skins kept up, it would mean a substantial gain to the country. Mr. J. K. Hamilton Awarua) said that

the acclimatisation societies were made up only of sportsmen, and these societies had introduced many pests that were thrown upon the local bodies for extermination. He would be readier to trust the local bodies to decide whether opossums should be protected in their districts or not, than he would bo to trust the acclimatisation societies. It. was not always best to consult the societies about the season. Tn certain parts of his electorate people could not grow any vegetables on account of ths opossums. He had wanted an extended season for such a locality, and it had been refused because the acclimatisation society had offered opposition. Mr. IV. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) thought that private persons should bo encouraged to rear game. A. paltry fine of -C5 was provided for trespassers going on private property in pursuit of game. He himself was rearing game. He had wild duck in .two different localities, and it was no( encouraging to have the firstcomer destroy them. Pigeons and katas, ho suggested, should not be absolutely protected, but should he included among the native game. In some places kakas were exceedingly common, and were used as food. Mr. J. M'Combs (Lyttelton) did not wish to see the same sort of laws introduced in (New Zealand as obtained in England in regard to the preservation of game. He hoped that the Minister would apt adont the suggestion of the member for Gisborne and bring in the harsh provisions operating in the Old Country. Mr. A. Harris (’Wnitenmfa) mentioned evidence that opossums did damage to fruit trees, practically ''ring barking’' them. Minister's Reply. The Minister, in replying, referred to a suggestion that the Bill should be scut to a committee. He said that if the reports from the acclimatisation societies suggested that any 'very important amendments were reefuired —amendments going to the root of tho Bill —anil ‘it seemed advisable to set up a committee, he would do so. He was anxious, however, to avoid the establishment of an unduly large number of committees. Some of the criticisms offered during the debate he did not intend at the moment to reply to, as they could most satisfactorily bo considered in Committee of the House. It had been suggested that the Bill was a specimen of "governgnent by regulation.” He’’did not think, however, that any injustice would he done by the making of regulations in this case. The nature of the Bill, which dealt with changing conditions, made the use of regulations imperative. Different districts appeared to view differently tho advisability of allowing opossums to increase. Ho thought there was ample power to meet the problem in accordance with local circumstances. Tho difficulty about consulting local bodies as suggested by the member for Awarua was that in the one locality the local bodies might be very numerous, and might 'have conflicting views. Acclimatisation societies, on the other hand, were bodies that had come into existence for the purpose of dealing wltn such, problems. It might be that they had not adequate representation of the point ot view that the member had mentioned, but the remedy seemed to be that the member and others of similar views should join tho societies. Iteplving to Mr. Seddon’s plea for tho smaller societies, Mr. Stewart said that the Government preferred to see societies working on a fairly large scale and possessing a substantial revenue, so that they could appoint an adequate number of rangers. The Government did not, however, bring pressure io bear if societies were satisfied with their present constitution and were not desirous of being 'merged in other districts. He thought that ths West Coast itself was a homogeneous area which might well form one district, but the Government realised that local were very strong. Persons rearing game on their properties had, the Minister assumed, the ordinary remedies against trespass —the same remedies as were available to persons who had sheep killed 'by trespassers. He would, however, look further into ‘ho question brought up by the member for Gisborne. The Government was anxious io *e.e the native pigeons preserved. They had been protected for ten years already. The Bil'- was read a second time without opposition.