ACCLIMATISATION

Grey River Argus, 4 May 1931, Page 6

ACCLIMATISATION

The Societies (PARLIAMENT’S ATTACK ON THE ' GRANTS. MR H. E HOLLAND’S VIEWS. Speaking on the second reading of the Finance Bill, No. 2, Air 11. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, referred as follows to the proposal to cut. out the grant made to the Acclimatisation Societies from the opossum revenue. “Clause 9 deals with the Acclimatisation Societies, and I thought I heard the Minister of Internal Affairs interject that those societies are not to lose their grants, or endowments, or whatever they are called. If that is to be so, why is it that clause 9 has been put into the Bill, and that the clause is jthe principal Act which ensured the | Acclimatisation Societies a share of the | revenue from the opossums is being cancelled? These Societies are doing a I much greater work than the average man is aware of. I think it was in the ’eighties that the opossums were put under the protection of the Acclimatisation Societies; it was as far back as 1892 that the Wellington Society liberated opossums. Since the ’eighties the Societies have done practically all the ranging necessary for the protection of the opossums. They have done a great amount of work in connection with the slocking of our rivers with trout. They were responsible for the introduction of trout into New Zealand waters. They have established fish hatcheries in different parts of the Dominion, and at I considerable expense they have stocked | the various streams throughout the (country. To-day, I understand, they I are allocating 10 per cent of their opossum revenue for scientific research in respect to fresh-water fish. They are building up what is really a valuable asset in New Zealand in the matter of the supply of fresh water fish. They have played a very great part in bring|ing the red deer in the Wairarapa under control. While it. is true that the Forestry Department has paid a large numb er of bonuses for deer destroyed with- , in the Dominion, it is also true that the Acclimatisation Societies have killed large numbers of deer upon which no bonus whatever has been paid. They have played a big part also, in the protection of birl life; and in the past thtty have done, as in the ease of the opossums, practically the whole of the ranging of our native birds in the Dominion. I understand that it was largely lowing to thp influence of members of the Acclimatisation Societies that Kapiti was declared a sanctuary. Their system of rangers throughout New Zealand is something that the Government should encourage. Those Acclimatisation Societies that can afford it have one or more paid rangers— there is a Society in my own district which has its ranger. Many honorary rangers are also employed. The rangers have to range the whole of their districts to protect native birds, fish, opossums, and other game. The Wellington Society employs two rangers who are provided with motor ears so that they cun cover the whole of the Wellington district, and in addition to that a third ranger is employed for n considerable part of the year, particularly (during the bird-nesting and shooting ’seasons. There is much more that one could say with respect to the work of I the Acclimatisation Societies, and l! hope fhe Government will not cut off the grants to them. The work they a r e doing, and voluntarily in many cases, | would cost the country far more than * it is costing at the present time if the I Societies were to go out of existence. However, when we get to the Committee I stage we may be able to get far more’ definite information from the Minister

ol Internal Affairs with respect to I Clause 9.” i In the committee stage the matter was discussed at considerable length, and I la division was forced by Mr Holland.'. | the clause being retained by a majority lof only four votes. ’ •