MINISTER SURPRISED AT STATEMENT

Northern Advocate, 24 June 1937, Page 6

MINISTER SURPRISED AT STATEMENT

Are Teal Ducks On The Increase?

Outlining the advantages, from an

acclimatisation point of view, that would accrue from the further stocking with fry of the rivers of Northland, and the removal of the ban against the taking of brown teal—not the native teal—a deputation from the Whangarei Acclimatisation Society brought before the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday, the various activities of the society.

Lack of finance, it was stated, was hampering the further development of the society’s work and the hope was expressed that, with the amalgamation of acclimatisation districts, more funds would be available for the stocking of the rivers and the development of the society’s hatchery, Messrs S. J. Snow and J. Parkin represented the society. • Fish Doing Well.

Mr Snow, said he had been making a study of the streams around the district and the conclusions, he had come to were that the fish were doing well.

Last year the society had liberated 200,000 fry. . Unfortunately, the fact that there was good fishing obtainable in the district was not sufficiently well known, with the result that the annual licenses totalled only £6. The fishing was subsidised from the game licenses, but,-even so, the amount available to the society was not sufficient to permit of it developing its activities as much as was desired. More Finance Wanted.

Mr Parkin said the society hoped that,(.when a federation of societies was formed there would be more finance available for the stocking of the streams.

Referring to the large quantity of teal in the district, Mr Snow said the society applied the previous year to have the ban on the shooting of the birds removed, as they were become ing—in fact, had already become—a menace. It was not the native teal to which he referred, but the brown teal, which was very plentiful in the Whangarei district, but was not, he understood, so in other acclimatisation districts.

About The Only Place. The Minister: Well,, this must be about the only place where teal is plentiful—the supply of the birds is about exhausted elsewhere. Mr Parkin: As far, as the North is concerned there are plenty. The Minister: Well, I have been through the North and have not seen many. y

Mr Snow: The duck-shooters are complaining. Pheasants are not plentiful, but ducks in this district, at any rate, are on the increase, and teal is here in thousands. The Minister: I do not think the ducks are on the increase in fact I would say definitely that they are hot. Mr Snow: As far as the North is concerned, they are. The Minister: And the Aucklander will say the same about his district.