WILD-LIFE MEATS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 126, 30 May 1944, Page 6

WILD-LIFE MEATS

EXTRA FOOD FOR U.K.

.REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

Considerable headway is being made by the organisation set up by the Government for securing rabbit, deer, wild, goat, and pig meats for freezing for export to the United Kingdom. There has been an all-round increase, notably in the South Island, in trapping rabbits. In spite of many difficulties, approximately 20,000 rabbits a week are being packed and frozen for export; formerly there were none, v Quoting figures from the latest report of Major G. F. Yerex, who is in charge of the operations of the organisation, the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mi-. Parry) said that in May this year 75,000 rabbit carcasses had been recovered, compared with 32,500 in May last year. The Minister said that the arrangements in the South Island for the collection and conveyance of freshlytrapped rabbits from many areas had been made by Major Yerex, his staff, and others engaged with skill and efficiency. The Transport Department's zoning officers had greatly helped. It had early become apparent in the operations of the organisation, Mr. Parry said, that even" with the fullest possible utilisation of North Island supplies, there would. still not be sufficient to keep local markets stocked as fully as before meat rationing. Th_ policy of the Government was to endeavour to provide as many rabbiti for local consumption as before meat rationing, and the efforts of Major Yerex had been directed towards having all North Island trappings disposed of for local consumption. This would obviate the necessity1 for diverting supplies from the exporting firms in the south as had been done in the past and would prevent wasteful transportation. DEER AND WILD PIGS. . Efforts to establish a system of recovery of deer and wild pig meats had not been very encouraging. Owing to the very high value of deer skins (6s 3d per pound to the hunter) and the low value of the meat, hunters would not spend the time and: heavy carrying work involved in getting the meat to camp and the expense of providing pack-horses, feed, etc., for trans-r port to the road. The indications were that not more than 4d per lb for venison and probably less for pork would be payable at the roadside. By leaving the meat men could shoot more deer and get more skins, which were easily carried, and the great problems of securing cleanliness and freshness did not arise. A man-load of 601b of dry skins was worth approximately £18, while the same weight of meat was worth only about £1. Again, owing to the high value of skins, hundreds of hunters had been operating and had either killed off the dear or driven them into remote country. The Internal Affairs De-. partment had sold, during recent months, many thousands of rounds of rifle ammunition to private deer hunters. Casual weekend hunters would i rarely trouble to bring in other than a small quantity of venison for their own use.

The difficulties of transport and the delivery of meat clean and fresh could be overcome only by an elaborate organisation with paid full-time employees, pack-horses, frequently collecting services by vehicles, fly-proof storage places, etc. Other difficulties were the failure to obtain the services of experienced field officers to organise and train hunters in meat-recovery technique, and the shortage of men to undertake hunting. The Minister said it was hoped, however, that new arrangements now in train would prove satisfactory. He said he hoped also that some venison and wild pork would be offered for sale through local butchers. If these found a ready sale at a satisfactory price, it might release an equivalent quantity of beef and mutton for export.

There had been success, the Minister said, with the scheme for the killing and freezing for export of a large number of goats in the WairoaGisborne district. The meat would be purchased and exported by the Export Marketing Department. The production of wild-life meats as additional export lines of food supplies had been on the whole successful, the Minister concluded. The organisation had not been many months in operation, and hard but efficient work had succeeded against what seemed to be insurmountable difficulties.