THE GAME SEASON

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 69, 14 December 1939, Page 13

THE GAME SEASON

Exception To Remarks By Minister

REASONS FOR ALTERATION

Exception to remarks made by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry, when announcing only a fortnight’s game season next year, was taken by the president of the Wellington Acclimatization Society, Dr. G. F. B. Anson, at a meeting of the council of the society last night. “The question of seasons has been discussed not only by the society, but by the representatives of the societies at island councils,” said Dr. Anson. “It was a recommendation of the island council that a season of a fortnight was preferable to closed season, but not for the reason given by the Minister, who said that the society could not afford to do without a fortnight. It was because everybody said it was better for the ducks to have a short season than a closed season. The Minister made an absolute misstatement to the public. It was not a question of finance. The only thing was that if a closed season was to be held due notice should be given. “I believe the Minister tries to do his best for us, but if one man is going to get up and say, ‘I know better than the experienced game and fishing people of New Zealand’—not only of the North Island—then it is time you stopped being kind to him publicly. If anyone is going to ‘monkey with the regulations in New Zealand without giving a reason and without saying whose advice he has had, it is time we told him where to get off. I will say that to his face. I am not saying we don’t need a closed season in 1941.”