OPOSSUM INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 4

OPOSSUM INDUSTRY.

TRAPPING IN WELLINGTON. ; AN EXTENDED SEASON. . : The trapping of opossums, an industry , which is assuming large proportions in the Wellington district, was a subject:that '.,:.. gave rise to lengthy discussion at the meeting of the council of the Wellington': Acclimatisation Society last week. The ranger's V;; report recommended j] that in view of the great number of trap- • pers who would ,be Engaged this year, ; . and the consequent-difficulty in .finding.? ground, the"society ■■■ should;• secure; a - six-/ week's season-- July to August 11 ' in . place* of ; ■ the monthly period pre- : viously observed, This was agreed to. ■{■ The; - Department ; of ; ; ; Internal ; Affairs asked for an -expression ■of ; opinion as to whether it would be advisable to ; continue f the present regulations \ providing i\ or the }\ sale of skins either by auction or private;;: treaty. ' ' '''/" . ~ :v It was pointeds out by := members --, that so far as Wellington was, concerned, the ' former method bad proved;a! farce, and , a loss to all concerned,'; and it was decided to recommend that no ;,vamendment be made to the existing conditions of sale. __ An interesting question was raised in. i a further ' communication from the depart- ? ment, which •■ stated that several opossum skins : taken; in'f summer : ; : had (been' handed | on for experimental}; purposes. These, it % was stated, were valuable, and the equal of; the winter product, i while, f according to the ; information given the ; department, the female opossum did not carry young,, at ■'? this lime of the year—a difficulty | which invariably, has to be contended with in the winter season. ;' The > society v agreed 'C-. to make arrangements to trap the game at Paraparaumu to a limited .extent for the whole of the year, with a view to definitely deciding on the best dates for > future seasons. ;' As : i evidence $of & the [growth Sof the industry, it was stated that ; during' the i first ;; season '"; (1921) 140 trappers were engaged. Last ; year f the number increased * to over 120, representing : a catch; of 16,000 1 skins. Tbis season there '* is ; every indication thai upwards of ,400 men will make % the experiment.