DEER DESTRUCTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 119, 16 November 1937, Page 15

DEER DESTRUCTION

OFFICERS CONFER

OPENING OF CAMPAIGN

Men of the Field Division of the Department of Internal Affairs left Wellington at the end of last week to commence the seasori's operations in deer destruction in the Dominion. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) stated yesterday that a wide territory had been decided on for- the officers in their work which' was often hazardous on account of the mountainous country to be covered. Men this year and next year would be stationed in the lower country cf Southland, Stewart Island, and up the middle of the North Island in the vicinity of Lake Waikaremoana. The campaign would no doubt be more extensive and intensified than the campaigns of previous years.. An interesting feature of the respite from their operations was a conference held in Wellington. last week of several of the officers engaged in deerdesticying work. Attending the con-ference-were the Minister of Internal Affairs (the, Hon. W. E. Parry), who opened it; the Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs (Mr. J. W. Heenan), the officer in charge of the animals protection and game branch of the Department (Mr. J. Bennett), the Chief Field Officer of the Department (Captain G. F. Yerex), and other officers connected with the work. Various phases of the Sovernment's policy on the deer question, the success of past operations, and the plans, formulated for the present and future campaigns were discussed. "There is a fine type of men on this' work," Mr. Parry said today. "It is adventurous, hazardous, and ■ exacting,. and the men engaged must be-not only good-,and efficient with the rifle, but they must be h'ardy> and in splendid physical condition. The toll they have made on deer-^-which seems to me will. be always a menace to New Zealand— runs into many thousands. The Depart-: ment has "many testimonies from farmers, land owners, and native bushlovers to the value of the men's, work."