PARADISE DUCK AND PUKEKO

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 170, 6 April 1923, Page 8

PARADISE DUCK AND PUKEKO

SAID TO BE NUISANCES IN OTAGO By Telegraph.— Pares Association. Dunedin, April 5. A deputation from South Otago waited on the Otago Acclimatisation Society to-night to protest against the Government protection of paradise ducks and pukekos.

Mr. Capell, who acted as spokesman, referred to the serious damage that was being wrought by paradise ducks, lie pointed out the absurdity of protecting them when the district was simply teeming with pests—for they were serious pests to farmers. He had approached tho Southland Society with a view to inducing it to take steps in the matter, but it had evidently misunderstood him or was unsympathetic. In spite of heavy shooting, tlhe birds were steadily increasing, and unless something were done they would become a real nuisance. They congregated in great flocks and an open shooting season would break them up and scatter them into oth?r parts of the district whore they conld do little or no harm. Every effort should be made to induce the Government to lift the protection, and the society should be supported in this project by sportsmen in the. district.

Pukgkos, too, continued Mr. Capell. were on the increase, especially around Lake Wa’hola, where they could be' found in thousands. A settler there had claimed to have seen more pukekos there this season than in the previous 20 seasons. A member of the deputation said that he knew of cases where the birds were running round the house, while /mother complained that they got among his onions and demolished them. It was decided that the society should ask the Government to open the duck season for a fortnight, and to limit tho bag to 12 birds per day.' Mr. Cowie, a member of the Acclimatisation Society, stated that unless sametihing was donn the birds would bo poisoned out in Central Otago. The paradise duck was really not duck, he said, but goose, and was inclined to go inland and seek back country. Thus they were very plentiful in Central Otago. Mr. R. Conn, chairman, suggested that a list should be procured of tho districts in which the ducks were most numerous.