REMOVING A MENACE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 197, 22 July 1931, Page 6

REMOVING A MENACE

Ix his annual report a year ago, the Director of h'orestry laid emphasis on the damage caused by noxious wild animals ’in the indigenous forests and exotic plantations of the Dominion. The menace of deer and pigs especially, it was stated, was no longer a matter of parochial concern only, but had reached the stage when it must be faced to the national wellbeing. “Experience has definitely proved,” it was then stated, “that owing to the natural increase of these animals only measures of control which can be exercised systematically, economically, and continuously can reduce the existing herds to within safe limits, and with these considerations in mind the Service has formulated plans as far as possible.” Evidence of the well , directed operations of the State Forest Service in the past year is provided by the annual report. Noxious wild animals destroyed included 27,260 pigs, 28,474 rabbits and hares, 6880 deer, 386 goats, 951 bush rats, 49 wild horses, and 32 wild cattle, a total of 64,032. In addition, private hunters in the South Island exterminated 12,267 deer on which the State paid a bonus of 2s a tail. The number of deer thus killed as vermin was 19,147, compared with about 10,000 in the previous year. An increase was also shown in the number of pigs killed, and as these two are the main instruments for causing damage in the forests excellent results appear to have been achieved in the past year. The report again stresses the point that the ultimate solution of the control of wild life lies in the successful exploitation of the hides of the destroyed animals.- In so far as a market can be developed for these hides is the cost of extermination lessened ■ and the operations of the Service extended. The Dominion is now paying for the stocking of the country with wild animals, whose, depredations are . causing serious damage to the indigenous forests, unrivalled anywhere in the world, and to the plantations of exotic trees which have been built up in inany places.