ACCLIMATISATION IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.
TO THE EDITOR OR THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sir, —Will anybody, in the name of common sense, tell me the meaning of the following, which I rend in your issue of to-day P—- “ ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. “ A letter was read from the Secretary of the South Canterbury Society, enclosing the following resolution: —‘ That His Excellency the Governor, under the powers contained ip section 14 of the Protection of Animals Act, 1873, be requested by proclamation to declare that no game shall be hunted, shot, taken, or killed in the South Canterbury district during the season of 1878.’"
This resolution, arbitrary and foolish as it is, and emanating from the South Canterbury Society, is, to my astonishment, backed up and carried by the parent Society in Christchurch. We have to thank Messrs Hill and Boys for this,- neither of whom can possibly know anything about the game south of the Bangitata. May I ask whether there has been any reason assigned for putting a stop to our shooting for this year. May I also ask why this | prohibition has been proposed so late. To my certain knowledge there have been already hundreds of ducks shot in the neighbourhood of Timaru and Waimate, and surely ducks are game ? It. looks as if the Timaru (I beg pardon—the South Canterbury)— Society wish to shoot all their own game, and then to prevent other people from shooting theirs." Are- pheasants, ducks, &c., scarcer this year than last? I do. not believe it for an instant.
On Feb. 1 last, in answer to a letter of mine, I received a note from the Secretary of the Acclimatisation Society, saying that, the Coundil would recommend Government to allowius to shopt hares, here, “in consequence (I am not answerable for the English) of the statement alleged in yours of the 10th' inst,, say the month of June.” What becomes of this permission ;now that this precious resolution of the South Canterbury Society is endorsed by the Christchurch Society? Do they know what number, of hares we have here ? Do they know, better than I, the amount of damage they do ? And finally, did they introduce these’ hares, or did we?
. The fact is, that the sooner these Acclimatisation Societies cease to exist, the better. It has long been patent to everyone who knows anything about game, that the£ (the Societies) do np good to sportsmen, and immense harm to farmers. They do not protect game, by their childish laws, and they introduce and protect innumerable nuisances by the same childish laws. They strain ait. the gnat of imaginary protection of game, and they swallow the prodigious camel of pouring upon the poor farmers the plagues of countless, sparrows and greenfinches. Their motives are amiable, but their deeds damnable. I intend to take legal adyioh as tp whether a person may shoot his own game on.his own freehold property; and if the law says I niay shoot, shoot I will, ,in spite of all the Societies. —I am, &0., April 5. LANCELOT WALKEB, :
ACCLIMATISATION IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.
Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5345, 9 April 1878, Page 3
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