"FLAGRANT PIRACY"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 12

"FLAGRANT PIRACY"

ECONOMY MEASURES

REVENUE FROM GAME

(By Telegrapli.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Considerable dissatisfaction with the attitude of the Government in effecting economics -at the expense of the Acclimatisation Societies was expressed at the annual meeting of the Auckland. Society.

Referring to the proposal to treat all revenue obtained by way of royalty on opossums as general revenue, the president, Mr. F. E. M'Kenzie, said that tins was "flagrant piracy" on the part of the Government. In 1929 tho total revenue to the State from trappers was £11,700, of which1 one-half was paid to the societies. "Much of the revenue —about £5000—is spent by the societies in ranging, arid a portion of the balance is paid to the Fish Research Board. The Government has stopped the railway passes of the societies, although these rangers deal with native birds, the opossum,- and fish, as well as game birds. Proposals have also been made to charge freight on trout fry. Tho societies have lost all the deer licences, and soon will cease to function, through lack of revenue. That will be the end of wild life in a very short time." .

Mr. M'Kenzie said that legislation also provided that all fines for breaches of the game laws should become part of the Consolidated Fund. These would probably not amount to more than £600. The Government was actually "thieving" that amount to help it out of its hole. ■ •

It was decided to protest strongly against the Government's prqposah end to urge their reconsideration, /