WILD LIFE PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 11

WILD LIFE PROBLEMS

DUAL CONTROL SYSTEM

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

Interviewed in Dunedin on Thursday with respect to articles which have appeared i" tho Press throughout the Dominion, upon the subject of wild life control, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Commissioner^of Stato Forests, stated that tho article's had not come under his uotico until his return from the. Far North,' whero he had carried out an inspection of the kauri forests and investigated the problem of sand fixation in areas threatened with drifting sand. With'the subject matter of the articles, ho "stated, the Forest Sorvice was not concerned except in so far as its responsibilities under the Forest Act for the control of wild life within the State Forests were involved. Numerous mis-statements and inaccuracies had been incorporated in the articles by both parties to the debate, but he did not propose to comment beyond those which had a direct bearing upon the Forest Service. As t< the general policy governing tho question, he had no comments to make except that the regulation arid control of deer was of vital importance to the future of the New Zealand forests,, both native and exotic. DEER A SERIOUS'MENACE. , The Minister stated that at the present timo deer constitute the most serious menace to the State-owned forests, and in consequence of their great numbors tho forest floor has in many places been despoiled. In many parts of New Zealand regeneration has ceased, and the plants which furnish most of the honey and berries upon wh: native birds subsist are being destroyed. Deer destruction had not yet overtaken the annual increase of the herds. Notwithstanding' the unremitting efforts at control mado by sonic of the acclimatisation1-, societies, the lierds havo reached such proportions as to constitute a danger to tho perpetuation of tho nativo flora and fauna that must be regarded with the gravity of a national problem. Tho Forest Service, officers' views thereon havo been regularly and pro-, perly submitted to' tho responsible Ministers from time to time, and such of those an could be made public were incorporated in tho annual report of the Forest Service or in Ministerial statements''mado from time to time. The Minister stated that he did not propose to discuss certain obvious inaccuracies bearing upon the general question of wild life control, as these did not come within his province. "IMPROPER INFERENCES." Certain improper inferences had, however, been made with respect to the Forest Service which called for comment:— (1) Tho Department had no knowled^i of any."tentative scheme drafted by an official of tho Forestry Department," nor was it, represented or invited to be Represented at 'the conference of acclimatisation societies in question. (2) Certain extracts from the annual reports to a former Minister during 1922 and 1924 were quoted as inferring that the service had gone beyond its legitimate and statutory functions. That inference was considered to be quito unwarranted. (3) It was inferred that the articles contributed by "Mamaku" had been originated by oilicers of the Forest Service. That was not so. (4) It was assumed by Mr. Thornton, in his concluding article, that tho Stato Forest Service wished to replaco or eliminate the, societies. This was not so,'and, moreover, their value, their rights, and thoir services to tho community were fully appreciated by tho Forest Service. , There were, however, directions in which a higher degree of co-ordination of existing machinery for control could be attained. Progress in that diroction was not facilitated by provocative statements which had not been absent from tho recent controversy. "I take strong exception," said tho Minister, "to the reflections which have been cast upon tho motives of tho Stato Forest Service in its work for the preservation of the Dominion's nativo forests. Briefly stated, tho primary responsibility of tho State Forest Service is the conservation and perpetuation of the indigenous forests, together with tho establishment of exotic forests whero climatic conditions are favourable, economic reasons justify, and financial' conditions permit. Consequently, its present fundamental concern inx,the control or extermination within State foresfs of destructive pests which have been introduced cither by way of acclimatisation or by domestie_ species which have become foral. This is vital to the .conservation and protection of the forests and their indigenous inhabitants; and State forest officers, trained and experienced in all phases of the science of forestry, certainly cannot be regarded as inferior 'o any other existing body in ability or qualifications for the performance, of duties involved in the conscientious administration of the Forests Act." ,