DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 196, 19 August 1912, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

Members of the Acclimatisation Conference last week interviewed the Minister for Internal Affairs (th© Hon. H. D. Bell), and laid before him the results of their deliberations as expressed in the resolutions adopted. In reply to the president (Mr Tripp), who shortly reviewed the principal mattens which had engaged their attention, the Minister said that with the exception of two questions—that dealing with the control of pea-rifles and the matter of protecting the oppossums—he could assure the conference that its recommendations would be favorably considered by the Government, and that their labors would not be altogether fruitless. With regard to the pea-rifles, it was his intention to deal with the serious evil which, had been created by the indiscriminate use of this firearm on the part of irresponsible persons, as a matter apart altogether from sportas a matter affecting the general welfare of'the,public. animals had been destroyed through the use of this rifle, and the farmers had complained. With regard to the protection of the oppossum, it was his intention to safeguard the interests of the settler—that consideration must come first. If the protection of this animal with the view of developing an industry in the skins would be to the detriment of the settlers' interests, then he would have to consider the settler. (Hear, hear.) The Minister also inquired of the deputation whether there were any objections held by the Acclimatisation Societies to the shooting of fallow deer, which had become a nuisance to settlers. He was informed that there was no objection to settlers protecting their, cultivated lands by shooting deer which invaded these lands, so long as the deer were shot on these lands.