WILD PIG PEST.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 July 1925, Page 9

WILD PIG PEST.

A TARANAKI COMPLAINT. YOUNG LAMBS DEVOURED. In the House of Representatives at the end or last week, Mr.. K. Masters (Stratford) painted a. vivid picture of the damage caused by wiki pigs in the ’l-anajiia.Ki district, which he saici depleted the annual »apply ot young iambs until the farmers had to go out and shoot the marauders, Mr. Masters said the wild pig question wan much more serious than people imagined. He had, had numberless letters telling of the ravages of these animals. Quoting from one, he said that the farmer concerned had lost 88 per cent, of his lambs four, seasons ago, and the season after that lie had lost 72 per cent. Two seasons ago the Government had instituted the royalty for snouts and in two months the farmei killed 120 wild pigs. Last season the Government had continued the- royalty and 800 had been killed in the district. In the particular region he iva-j talking about the daily bags of pig© numbered 30. Another farmer said that he never went over his farm without a rifle, and during the lambing season he spent half his time after pigs. This farmer calculated that he lost from 15 to 20 per cent, of his lambs every season. The Government certainly paid a shilling a snout, but it was not doing anything to its own la-nds. Pigs were a curse to the country .and were driving people to stock only dry sheep. Continuing, Mr. Masters said he had seen acres and acres of land rooted up by pigs and fences tom down by them,. The Government should make it worth while for men to go out and destroy the animals which were causing so much damage, land also make it worth the farmteris while to clear them off his property .