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Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1930, Page 4

The reports received by . the Westland Acclimatisation Society appear to indicate that it .will be advisable to observe a close season for a period, if the opossum industry is to be preserved on. satisfactory lines, In the season just closed, there were a large number ot trapping licenses issued, and although the territory was well covered and the usual haunts of the animal well combed, very few good bags were recovered. Some of the trappers who were able to penetrate into the high back country are reported to have had the better reward. In two or ' three ' instances quite good tallies were secured, It has been suggested that the depletion in the low country of, the opossum was due in the main to illicit trapping out of season in advance of the opening date. The tallies now disclosed, however, indicate that if illicit trapping were in progress in advance, the re-* turns were not substantial. The fact appears to be tliat over a period of several season’s trapping has been going on very intensively and the ground has been so well covered that depletion was inevitable. There is also the re- | port current that a good deal of poisoning has been rife, particularly.in the. breeding season. This, if true, would assist depletion very considerably. This pernicious habit of poisoning is to be condemned on all scores, and it is to be regretted that offenders have not been i caught, Not only is the poisoning.! harmful to the young opossums, but it affects also the native bird life, which has plenty of natural enemies nowadays without the artificial aid of poisoning, Jn view of the palpable de-, crease of opossums the authorities will j do well to consider the advisability of 1 fixing a close season for a period. To be entirely effective the closed period should he universal throughout the Dominion, It may be difficult to secure that, but the Coast might well bo clos- j ed definitely to trapping. Trappers on the whole would appreciate such an action, as the closure would afford the opportunity for skins to apprise in value. Following the late good seasons, there has been a steady accummulation of skins in store, held for better prices. These now, it would appear, constitute' something of a glut in the market, and as a result, prices are depressed. A! period of closure would therefore assist the market price to recover, so that in the end there would be a gain to those 1 engaged in the trapping industry. It would lie well therefore for converted action to be taken to secure as univer-! sal-a closed period as possible in order | that the animals may have the fullest j opportunity of multiplying. Properly eared for .'and controlled the opossum industry can lie made a very important adjunct to the employment conditions of the Dominion.

In the trial of strength with the Motherland, New Zealand lias proved again its supremacy in Rugby Football. The match on Saturday was remarkable for the dominance of the New Zealand team. The match was played under ideal weather conditions, and on a fair field and no favour, Britain was defeated decisively. In the three earlier tests, the games were more even. In the first match Britain had a rather lucky win. In the,two following tests New Zealand won by small margins, and up to that point,■ honours were fairly even. But there was no doubt about the superiority of New Zealand in Saturday's game. It was decisive, and the win was in keeping with the result of the Auckland provincial team, when Britain met a good combination. Saturday’s match was a good battle. The first spell was the more interesting, though judging from the number of minor casualties in the second half, that must have been the more strenuous. The test, as a test was distinctly in favour of New Zealand, and the All Blacks retain the renown won in former in- 1 ternational games as a team of outstanding merit and ability. It is good' to see so high a record maintaining, and there must be great satisfaction fin the knowledge that in reality thereris no serious falling off in the quality of Rugby maintained in this distant part of the Empire.