DEER BECOME PEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18711, 17 May 1924, Page 11

DEER BECOME PEST.

SWIMMING IN RESERVOIR. THE NEED FOR CULLING It _ was reported by the ranger at a meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society that the deer herd on the! \Vainui waterworks reserve, which was the best in the Dominion, had deteriorated to such an extent through in-breed-ing and not being culled that it was worthless to the society and to sportsmen. A good herd in this area was a thing of the past, not one having'been seen for five years. The, deer were very tame. Fro , m 50 to 100 could be shod out in three days and the rest driven m "0 . tho . Orongorongo. On several occasions deer had been seen swimming in the reservoir, and shooting would keen ■ .hem away from the domestic water supply. When the matter had been referred to the city engineer it was stated that tho deer were doing no damage, and no per- ■ mits would be granted to have them destroyed. The deer had now done damaga to the reserve : It was stated that- tho matter had been brought to the notice of the City Council by the Health Department owing to tho deer contaminating the water supply for the city. • . /, : •; . A letter from the City Council to tho society requested that steps be taken to have the deer removed from the waterworks reserve within three months from date on account of the damage the deer were doing to the forests and to their pollution of . the . water supply required for domestic purposes. ; The secretary stated that the herd was placed there 30 years or more ago, when some stags were imported from Scotland. , Then the council refused to allow them to be • culled for several ; years past, so that the society could not accept any responsibility in tho matter. The secretary was instructed . to reply that the society could not , accept responsibility in the matter, - but ' was willing to confer with the council to • the extent of providing a number of expert rifle shots who would shoot some of the doer. ' It was also decided to request ' th© Department of Internal Affairs to remove protection from certain areas of the Wainui, including the waterworks reserve, and certain a'reas between Wginui and Orongorongo River for one.year../ v "; _