SPORT WITH THE GUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 13

SPORT WITH THE GUN.

GOOD BAGS IN WAIKATO. SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS. POACHING IN THE HAURAKI. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Wednesday. Three Waikato sportsmen, Messrs. S. T. Tisdall and A. E. Cave, of Hamilton, and H. Heath, of Ngaruawahia, joined Mr. A. G. Potter's party at Waikato Heads last week-end. In two days the party, consisting of eight guns, shot 292 ducks and six swans. Excellent sport was enjoyed although the weather conditions did not lend themselves to a pleasurable outing. BAGS AT TE AWAMUTU. SCARCITY OF PHEASANTS. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] TE AWAMUTU, Wednesday. Reports received hero indicate that duck shooting has been very successful in various parts of the district. Several sportsmen have secured bags of over a score and at least one reached the limit. There are more ducks about this season than for years. Rangers are active preventing illegal shooting. Pukeko are plentiful but pheasants are raiher scarce. The heavy gale has dampened the ardour of numerous gunning parties, who report very wintry conditions in the swampy areas. HATJRAKI YIELDS WELL. THREE EXCELLENT BAGS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] THAMES, Wednesday. Local sportsmen report good bags and oxciting shooting on the Hauraki Plains for the opening of the season. '1 ho most successful party included Messrs. •G. Thompson and L. Howe, of Thames, and A. Coornbes, of Auckland, who accounted for 163 grev ducks over the week end. Other bags of ICO and 80 are reported. The best shooting was found in the. vicinity of the Waitoa Stream, which branches from the Piako River. Several brace of pheasants and quail have been secured but sportsmen say the depredations of poachers have almost ruined the sport in this locality. They hope the authorities will not be long in detecting the offenders. It is reported that parties of irresponsible persons have been shooting pheasants and quail all the year round. A reward of £2O is offered for information leading to a conviction. SHOOTING OF PUKEKO. AUCKLAND DISTRICT DISPUTE A TEST CASE REQUIRED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MERCER. Wednesday. A peculiar position exists regarding the shooting of pukeko in the Auckland Acclimatisation Society's district this season, and an interesting legal point seems to be involved. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. R. F. Bollard, is reported to have declared that ■it is illegal to shoot pukekos in this district and the shooting license issued by the Acclimatisation Society gives no authority for their destruction. Yet the birds are being shot in fairly large numbers and the {■portsinen are convinced that they are within their legal rights. The sportsmen claim as their authority an extract from the New Zealand Gazette No. 14, dated March 12, 1926. In the statement showing the kinds of imported and native game which may be killed in each district, the following list of birds appears for the Auckland district:—"Cock pheasants, Calilornian and Australian quail, black swan, pukeko, and grey duck." Whether this clause is sufficient authority or otherwise for the shooting of pukeko is not known, but a wellknown legal gentleman in Mercer is reported to have stated that, had he seen the Gazette notice earlier, he would have shot pukekos. So the shooting goes on. The chipf ranger for the Auckland district yesterday took the names and addresses of two young men for having pukekos in their possession. Questioned later he said it was illegal to shoot these birds. It ippears that a test case will be required to settle the matter.