BIRD SANCTUARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14427, 21 July 1910, Page 6

BIRD SANCTUARIES.

IS LAKE WAIKARE SUITABLE? ' • v ■'. : ,-v [BY TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday.' The suggestion made by the Hon. D. Buddo (Minister for Internal Affairs) that Lake Waikare should be made a sanctuary for native game has been adversely criticised by the Huntly Rod and Gun Club, in terms already published in. the Herald. This criticism was brought under the notice of the Minister, who said that his interest in the matter was purely that of those who followed sport. In the Auckland district, in the shooting season, lie was only anxious to make as many sanctuaries as possible. Twentyfive years ago in the Southern districts farmers and sportsmen could depend upon reasonable bags, but to-day, notwithstanding that many of the lakes were larger than the Waikare, the bags generally speaking were small, except those obtained by men who got comfortably hidden in a cylinder moored well out in the lake. He was anxious that every fair-sized lake should be a sanctuary for wild game, and a good many suggestions had been made to him that if Lake Waikare was made Ja' sanctuary for wild fowl more good | shooting would be available. So far, said Mr. Buddo, he had only heard the opinion of the Huntly Gun Club, but the Auckland Acclimatisation! Society had promised to forward further opinions, and when these reached him hfc would go into the matter. In speaking generally of game sanctuaries, Mr. Buddp stated that during the past 12 months a number of private owners had submitted proposals to the Department to make sanctuaries of their properties. He had almost invariably approved of the proposal if the area was reasonably small, recognising that a large area of freehold • water frontage or email lakes might lead to a monopoly. These sanctuaries had been generally approved by local sportsmen, who had had the advantage of a quiet breeding ground for wild fowl. It was his intention to continue this policy where small lakes were offered, always on the distinct understanding that these were to be "tapu" to the proprietors as well as travelling sportsmen. No private property had recently been offered as a sanctuary in the Auckland province, but four or five blocks had been offered in Otago and Southland, and more recently two in the Manawatu.