WILD LIFE

Grey River Argus, 28 August 1939, Page 10

WILD LIFE

COMPLETE CONTROL. WELLINGTON, August 2-1. “My idea would be thai a department should be set up to conirol fresh-water fish, game, and bir c ] life general.y, with a commissioner at the head, and a biological section for investigation and research,” said the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) in an interview, when discussing the future of fishing and shooting in New Zealand. The Minister said that, ho had at the moment no immediate plan for the creation of such a department; but three years’ experience as ' MKnis'tcfr had convinced him of its'need. “I feel it incumbent upon me to give a truthful view of the present position and the future,” Mr Parry continued. “If such a method of organisation as that which I have described is set up it will, I feel sure, overcome the practical extinction of sport.” Mr Parry expressed concern at recent statements which, he said, were aimed at creating fear among the licence-holders that they would have to pay huge fees. He would remind some of those who had made such statements that they themselves had supported the recent rise In roes. The Minister said: “After three .years as Minister, I can see that we are not gaining ground. Sport is going back, and it is no use misleading sportsmen. It would be unfair for me to misrepresent, the position. 'Scarcely anyone will disagree with me Idea of maintaining the fish, game, and bird life of the Dominion, that ■being common ground. All we have to do is to summarise the position, when we will see that they are Becoming less, and our sportsmen are dissatisfied with the results. It would be unfair to delude them, and I am not. going to do so.”

Point at Issue. The recent statement by Mr F. E. McKenzie, president of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, was cnalienged by the Minister. He said that Mr McKenzie evidently considered- that the point at.stake was whether sport should be run under the present administration, or under State control, but he had no hesitation in saying that this was not the ground upon; which a decision should ne macie. "The ground should be whether we are to pursue our present policy, which means the inevitable destruction of game, oi' whether we should have a stocktaking of what has happened. and whether we are prepared to make an attempt to meet me requirements of to-day,” Mr Parry said. “Wo have reached the stage in fish and game where we have exploited ah our natural advantage, and to-day we are in the position where research is needed. The natural conditions of the past, giving natural supplies of game, birds, fish, and fish food are now apparently gone, and the only means by which we can attempt, to bring this state back is bv investigation anq research “f am not blaming any organisation or society for the conditions that exist in game and fish,” the Minister continued. “We have done much the same as other countries We have made use of natural advantages; but we have come to a full stop, in my opinion, because I feel that the results of practical experience with fish and game have been exhausted. I believe that the future is in the hands of science, and research organisation is imperative if this is to be carried out in the way I believe it should. There is no reason whv such an organisation should not avail itself of local advice, and I believe that advisory councils would be of very great assistance in achieving the ultimate objective.”