PRACTICE DEPLORED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1938, Page 6

PRACTICE DEPLORED

POND-SHOOTING OF DUCKS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, January 20.

Strong condemnation of the practice of the pond-shooting of ducks because of the heavy toll on bird life and detriment to stocks of game was expressed at the conference of South Island acclimatisation societies. The conference, after a long discussion, decided that societies should be urged to concentrate on ranging, and that the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) be advised of the evils of the practice.

"Our experience is that an enormous toll is taken on ponds," said Mr. C. H. Lawrence, North Canterbury. "There is a great deal of illegal shooting. In addition birds leave lakes to go to ponds where they are fed, only to be taken later in very large quantities. We regard this pond-shooting as such a serious matter that unless it is curbed it will undoubtedly have a very detrimental effect on the stocks of game." Mr. D. Cuthbertson, Southland: The greatest difficulty is to stop feeding. "The two main points are the undue slaughter and the subsequent trading," said the chairman, Mr. G. L, Pomfret Dodd. "The average sportsman, however, goes out primarily for sport."

Mr. Lawrence suggested the following motion: "That this council views with alarm the indiscriminate slaughter due to absence of any statutory restraint."

Mr. Cuthbertson: And the Minister will turn round and say, "If you know of these cases why don't you prosecute?" I think we would be laying ourselves open to a snub.

Mr. Lawrence: It is a matter which will have to be tackled.

Mr. Cuthbertson: I quite agree, but it is a problem for which we have never been able to find a satisfactory solution.