OPOSSUM SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 20

OPOSSUM SEASON

OPEN FOR TWO MONTHS

WHY WAS SOCIETY IGNORED ?

Surprise was expressed at the meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night that the Government had not as in former years, sought the society's opinion on the advisable duration of the open oposßum season. The Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs advised that the Government had decided to declare an open trapping season for opossums in the Wellington district this year from July 1 to September 1 inclusive.- The royalty would be 6d per skin, with an additional 3d per skin for late stamping or stamping out of the district where the animals were taken. "I believe it has been customary in previous years to consult this society as to the dates of the season,1' said Mr. R. H. Niramo. "Has the secretary been given any reason for the omission by the Department?" „,.— , The secretary (Mr. E. J. C. Wiffin): "None whatever.". There had. always been a recommendation from the society, on the ndvice of its rangers, that the season should not exceed a month. On a former occasion, because the season was a very wet one, the Department had given an extra fortnight, but the society's advic* was then sought, if not followed* On the present occasion he understood that the extension was due to the economic conditions, to afford trappers an opportunity of making some money. Mr. Nimmo thought that departure from previous custom shoiild'be closely watched, as clearly the existence, of the society was challenged. - • On the suggestion of Mr, A. Seed it was decided to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs asking why .the sqcie'ty had been ignored on this occasion. ' . Hanger P. W. Willson 'said it had al-! •ways been the opinion of the rangers in the district that the season should not be. for more than four weeks, that is, if it > lvas desired to • maintain' the number of i opossums in the district.^ Longer seasons would mean their extermination. I Other members of the society expressed j surprise that the society had not been consulted when, under the Act, control of! opossums was still vested iv it,,and it had to do the ranging. Later in the- meeting Mr. Haase, presenting the balance-sheet for the year, said that there was a loss of £494 on the j'ear's .working. The lo*s of the opossuni revenue and deer licences was largely responsible, as, had the society received this revenue as in former years, it would have fchown nearly the same gain as it now showed a loss.