THE DUCK SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 9

THE DUCK SEASON

.CURTAILMENT UEGED

RESTRICTION TO 14 DAYS

The conservation of native duck cither by! limiting the shooting season to a fortnight or by shortening the daily limit was discussed by the Wellington Acclhnitisation Society last night, on the following remit to the annual'meeting by Mr. 11. H. Xjmmo:— , "That in view of the alarming decrease in the society's revenue, chiefly due to the notion of the Government in depriving the society o£ the opossum and deer revenue, and on account of the necessity for the conservation of dii£k and swan, we recommend that the shooting of duck and swan be restricted, to fourteen days, the present regulation covering the number of. birds allowed per gun per day to stand." ■ | % Based on the computations of experienced persons, said Sir. Nimmo, there had been a marked decrease in native game birds. The committee had urged a close season next year, as the only means of conserving game in view of the nature, of modern transport, but the Government, in taking the opossum and deer revenue, had altered the position. Wairarapa residents were not averse to a closed season, but :realised that, revenue was necessary to the society. One resident had offered Te Opai as a sanctuary, but it was thought that would spoil the shooting on that side of Lake Wairarapa. He believed that hundreds of sportsmen would take, out licences for. the restricted season. :> ..Mr. F. Skipage (Wairarapa) thought it a step in the wrong direction. .' Eevenue was chiefly derived from men who shot oh other people's properties. Owners had the right .'to shoot on their own properties without a licence, and he did not think many shooters, especially working men, would take out a licence merely for a fortnight. . Mr. Morris said that many adjoining Xuoperty owners were going to close the lake unless the society, did something on the lines suggested. Mr. Haase pointed out that these landouncih only had to have their properties declared sanctuaries to close shooting altogether. The chairman (Dr. Anson) was not prepared to accept the estimate of the decrease: of duck. He thought the position could be improved by altering the daily limit leather than by shortening the reason. The greatest slaughter took place on the opening day. The resident who went out frequently, taking one or two duck a day, would view Jus suggestion favourably, , though motorists from Wellington might not. Mr. A. Seed thought that both the seaeon and the limit could be restricted with advantage, though fortnight season might be too short. Conservation-had been paramount to revenue in the deliberations of the committee, said Mr.,Nimmo. Shooting every stormy day for two months considerably (depleted the ducks, while on.the other hand, if the people coming from a distance were restricted to a few duck on what was their' one day in the shooting season, they would not be' attracted. Seventyfive per cent.i of the ducks were shot on; the first day or-two of the season. : Ranger P. W. "Willson said that while the' majority .of■:the "ducks were shot in tjie first few days, shooting during the re-" mainder'of.'the season accounted for a ]arg'e number. ', '■'■. . . . The height of vthe; water in the lake, said Mr. Skipage, made all the difference, especially with the: stop bank system, and if .the lake was "up.on "the first" it was jilst as well for shooters to stay at home. Mr. A. Fleming'favoured the limitation ot\ the bagrather than the shortening of the,season-. -•: ■'. ■'- '~ • ■ : ■Mr. Matthews thought the Manawatu sportsmen would/not object to the^fprfcnight season, as most of the'shooting was done, in the first few days.: ■ After further discussion the remit was adopted, the chairman dissenting; / ' ;;