OPOSSUM SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 38, 13 August 1930, Page 10

OPOSSUM SEASON

TRAPPERS' POSITION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The present opossum season has been open twenty-one days, and out of that time we have had three days fine, the remainder being a fortnight's heavy anow and the rest rain. It would be rather interesting to know just exactly how the trapper is going to make both ends meet, let alone any profit, working under such conditions as. these. Personally, I have seventy-five traps, and so far have caught twenty-one opossums. Two other trappers with 150 traps between them have got thirty opossums. These men are experienced trappers of years' standing, and in good accessible country in comparison with other blocks; in fact just off the main road. Therefore, I would like to bring to your notice the position of the trappers on the more remote blocks. I; know of trappers who have come out of the bush disgusted, and are not in again until the weather breaks, whenever that will be. This means a dead, loss, as twenty-one days have already gone. The position is serious. Unless the trappers are granted an extension of time, which we consider to be only fair and just, seeing we have had to pay from £5 to £75 for the rights to trap on a block which is a piece of State Forest, injustice plus £2 10s for a licence, and about £30 for traps, camping outfit, packing expenses, etc. In my opinion it is quite time that the Internal Affairs Department took absolute control, thereby cutting out the State Forest and Acclimatisation Society, and Wellington City Council, which should never have been allowed itii

Another extremely sore point with the trapper is that of permanent railway, tvamway, and Harbour Board employees and other regularly employed men drawing wages who are granted trapping blocks, taking their annual holidays on full pay, going trapping, and thereby doing some deserving man out of a job. I consider it quite time the Railway Departmenttook steps to prohibit this sort of thing, which has been going on between Upper Hutfc and Cross Creek for a number of years.

If the Internal Affairs Department will grant an extension of a fortnight or three weeks it will keep four or five hundred! men employed, which means a big thing! during the present crisis. I can mention several unemployed who have obtained their camping outfit and licences, etc., on credit from various brokers in Wellington, and if they have to turn in the job, it means the brokers must go unpaid through no fault of the trappers. An extra three weeks would keep the men employed until well into the spring, when there will be more work obtainable. I have no doubt there will be serious op-por-ition to this proposal, but I consider tin; extentiion must essential, and hope something enn be done in (lie matter, not only i'ov myself, but for all the trappers in the district. I am, etc.. POSSUM. | J.JIU .Augusl.