OPOSSUM REVENUE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 70, 15 December 1932, Page 10

OPOSSUM REVENUE

Government Reduction ACTION CRITICISED Wellington Society’s Views The recent decision of the Government to reduce the amount of opossum revenue paid to acclimatisation societies came in for strong criticism at the meeting of the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night, the Government’s action being characterised as an unjustifiable raid. It was decided that a sub-committee should interview the Minister of Internal Affairs, and place the society’s views before him. The subject was introduced by a letter from the Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, who stated that he had been directed by the Minister to advise that a decision had now been arrived at in regard to the question of opossum revenue. It was regretted that it had not been found possible to agree to a share of the whole of the opossum revenue being paid to acclimatisation societies. It had, however, been decided that in future societies would receive the net proceeds from fines and sales of forfeited articles. “Curtailment Serious.” The president, Dr. G. F. V. Anson, said that the society greatly resented the action of the Government without in any way consulting the acclimatisation societies, particularly as they had been responsible for establishing opossums in the country. The society had also spent some £2OOO upon fish research, and this curtailment of their income was a serious matter. Mr. R. 11, Nimmo said that opossums were first liberated in the Wellington district in 1892. In 1912 the Government removed protection from opossums altogether, ami they would have been wiped out if it had not been for the acclimatisation societies prevailing upon the Government to reimpose protection. Later it was agreed to by the Government that the acclimatisation societies should receive two-thirds of the revenue, after deducting departmental expenses. This was for the first year. Later the revenue was divided between (.he societies and the State Forest Service, less administrative charges by the Department of Internal Affairs. Out of this revenue moneys were spent on fresh-water fish research, and the Kapiti Island bird sanctuary, and more particularly for ranging. Rangers and Convictions. “In fact, in the Wellington district, so far as I remember it,” continued Mr. Nimmo, “it is only our rangers who procured convictions for poaching, together with their general supervision of' the trappers’ camps. The issuing of permits is done by this office; a very considerable, amount of work. “We consider the sum of £4OO at least is necessary from the Government to meet the charges in connection with work performed by us. It may be defnitely stated that the State Forest Service, with its army of rangers throughout our district, failed exceedingly in ranging work, compared with the ranging of our staff of two rangers. Should we cease to range, opossum poaching will become rife, as we are the only people who look after them.”