’POSSUMS.

Grey River Argus, 30 May 1922, Page 4

’POSSUMS.

REGULATIONS FOR OPEN SEASON. WELLINGTON, May 29. The Gazette gives regulations dealing with the taking of opossums, tha issue of licenses and the sale of skins. Persons killing opossums and brokers handling the skins require to be lieensed. Opossums may be taken or killed only in the following manner: — (a) By means of a running noose fixed in such manner that the. head of the animal will pass through the noose. (b) By shooting with a pea-rifle, except in scenic reserves. (c) By means of the trap known as the American jump-trap •with or without teeth, or by the box trap, or by the ordinary rabbit-trap. (d) All such traps for the taking of (opossums must be placed on the ground while in use. Any ranger of any acclimatisation society or any forest officer is hereby empowered to seize any traps that are illegal for the taking of opossums, if being used or found in use by any trapper, and may also seize any opossums or skins of opossums which in such ranger’s opinion have been illegally taken. All traps or other contrivances used for the purpose of taking opossums must be visited by the licensee at least once daily. Opossums may be killed without license by occupiers of registered! orchards or by their employees, (1) in the orchards, (2) within half a -mile of the orchards, or (3) within certain defined fruit-growing districts. A similar concession applies to occupiers of land ivithin half a mile of the orchards. Open seasons for the killing of opossums have been declared in the AVestand district—June 1 to July 13.