KILLING OF DEER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1933, Page 2

KILLING OF DEER

THE GOVERNMENT’S POLICY

RESULTS OF EXTERMINATION

WELLINGTON/ April 15

Tile Government’s policy of allowing stalkers a (practically free hand in 'exterminating deer throughout New Zealand was defended by the Minister for Intern 1 Affairw, the Hon. •J- A. Young, in replying to recent criticism on the point in an interview at Wellington.

The .Minister emphasised that deer had bocom (;1 a real pest in various parts of the country, and the policy of encouraging stalkers to assist in wiping them out a s far as possible wis one of necessity. A serioiYs view was -taken of .the depredations ol deer not only on the nativ e forest undergrowth, but .also on gretss pastures ,a.rwl iotlie r crops in both the 'North and South Islands. Settlers considered th ( . deer a real menace, and in some instances it was shown

that ithe productivity of land was being seriously affected through the ravages of th e deer.

BENEFITS AFTER EXTEPiMINATION

“In one instance,” Mr Young said,

"a holder whose property has been covered bv deer destruction parties is now able to carry 2000 more sheep, Another small station-holder has an .additional 1000 sheep, representing an increase i n t stock carrying capacity of 33 1-3 per cent,, and has! .■irjo.ro feed than before. These cases are mentioned to show the extent .to which A depredations by dee r in ay' extend if not checked, and the evidenc e as to the numbers of skins which are being submitted to the Internal -Affairs Department for payment of bonus is proof iof the fact that the deer are obtainable and that inroads are being made on their numbers.

“I should li.kp to make it clear that while protection is removed from deer, it is necessary for hunters to obtain the consent of th e owner or controlling authority of land over which it is proposed to carry out operations. "For several years the Department of Internal Affairs paid a •bonus on deer destroyed jin the South Island, and fom 1923 to 1932 the bonus was paid io« more than 112,000 deer. This, however, wag not meeting the position, .and it wa», decided to endeavour to find 'a market, for deer skins. Private enterprise h-d sold .some skins overseas, but there had never been -a guaranteed supply. It is sufficient to say that about 14,000 skins have been' disposed of to date by the Deparment of Internal A-ffairs, and further inquiries ar e b®ing .receiveu for suyplies. The s e skins have been secured partly .from the operations of departmental parties and commercial hunters.

DISPOSAL OF SKINS

"In view of the success in the marketing of 'deer skins, the tail bonus has been replaced by on R on skijns. If a commercial hunter’ is unable t Q dispose of the skins, the ■Department of Internal Affairs is prepared to take over the skins, provided they are '-in good condition, and pay the hunter a 'bonus. There evidence that men who would be otherwise unemployed are going o ut after the deer, and it would be unreasonable to suggest that these men should, to give stalkers a season under license, b e thrown into 'the ranks of the unemployed. Only yesterday I was advised that one man had brought in 57 skins to the Wellington 'depot, and another man is bringing in 50. Others are known to be out in the back-country in the Wellington district and are getting good results.

“I am plea s ed to s ay that number, of the deer skins ar e being manufactured Into leather in Xe\v Zealand. It will thus be see, n that the 'Government policy of encouraging the saving of’’Seer skins is not only giving employment to commercial hunters and ipersons engaged in industry, but is also turning to useful purposes a 'commodity which, in the uast, has been largely wasted.”