SHORT SEASON FOR PROTECTING PUKEKO

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 257, 13 October 1932, Page 6

SHORT SEASON FOR PROTECTING PUKEKO

DO MAGPIES CAUSE DAMAGE? SUGGESTED REMOVAL OF PROTECTION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 13. The N.Z. Acclimatisation Societies’ Conference opened to-day, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp presiding. A Southland proposal to prohibit the storage of native game in freezing works was defeated. The conference declined to adopt the Whangaroa proposal to give rangers power to inspect vehicles on roads for game taken illegally or search bags and luggage belonging to gun parties. The Government is to be asked to

make an addition to the Animal Game Protection Act making it illegal to disturb nests where birds were nesting. An instance was quoted where 300 black swan eggs were spoiled through being disturbed. A CUNNING BIRD.

It was agreed that permits to destroy pukeko be confined to May, June and July. Mr. T. G. A. Harle (Ashburton) said pukekos had been seen to kill ducklings by dashing them against trees. Mr. G. A. Whitney (Auckland) thought the protection could be removed. The pukeko was a cunning bird and could look after himself. Mr. J, McDonald said the South Canterbury farmers would lay down poison unless a short season was granted. South Canterbury asked that protection be removed from the little gull from time to time; They swarmed up the rivers 12 miles inland, raiding the young trout, . Mr. C. H. Lawrence (North Canterbury) said the little gulls were companionable fellows. They took a few trout but not enough to justify the protection being removed. The remit was lost. THE MAGPIE IS A KILLER. Mr. H. J. Duigan (Wanganui) moved that the Government be requested to remove magpies from the list of protected birds in the Wanganui and Feilding districts owing to the numerous reports of their destroying protected birds. Mr. F. H. Stockwell (Feilding) seconded the motion. Mr. C. I. Dasent, (Wellington) believed all magpies were killers when raising their young. He instanced the case of a lawn infested with grass grubs where three magpies in a month practically destroyed the grub. The president (Mr. Tripp) suggested that evidence against the magpie should be recorded. It would be better to leave the protection on and apply for a permit in special cases., The remit was withdrawn.