ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 61, 9 February 1938, Page 10

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

FEILDING BRANCH. The Feilding sub-committee of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society met last evening, Mr P. P. Stevens presiding. Mi- O. Wickham (secretary) reported on a meeting of the Wellington Society, held in Palmerston North recently, and said that ho had brought up the question of the lifting of the protection on magpies and had been well supported in his contention that the protection should be removed. The matter had been left in the hands of tlie Wellington council to interview the Department of Agriculture, and provided it was able to convince the department that starlings were capable of exterminating the grass grub it was likely that the protection would bo removed. The Department of Agriculture had the power to say' whether the control of the grass grub could be dealt with by the starling. Mr Stevens reported that, with others, he had visited the Pai'aparaumu pheasant farm and had been greatly impressed with what he had seen. The breeding birds were in splendid condition and of a desirable type. Ho was satisfied that the farm was being efficiently managed, and Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, had congratulated the Wellington society' on its work. Mr Parry had also spoken of the Feilding society’s amalgamation with the Wellington society, and had stated that the former had shown a sporting attitude. He had expressed his hope that other societies would also amalgamate without pressure being brought to bear on them.

Regarding duck shooting, the Minister had stated that it was inevitable that to protect the ducks there would have to be a close season. It was becoming increasingly obvious that year after year all the birds shot were young ones, and it was only a question of time when the wild duck would be shot out. The stumbling block was the loss in revenue to the Wellington society through a close season, but the Government was going into the position very carefully and something would perhaps be announced about its intentions later.

The condition of the Oroua River at Aorangi was also reported upon, Mr Stevens stating that on a recent occasion steps had been taken to obtain proof of the pollution of the river. This had been obtained and those responsible bad assured the committee that settling tanks would he built through which the discharge would be passed. It was hoped to finally eradicate all pollution in the river by that means.