DESTROYING THE DEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19372, 6 July 1926, Page 15

DESTROYING THE DEER.

ACTION BY GOVERNMENT.

HERDS MUST BE THINNED.

PROTECTION MAY BE REMOVED. [BY TELEGRAPH. -SPECIAL REPORTER ] WELLINGTON, Monday. In order to curb the increased number of deer in New Zealand and thn considerable damage done by tho animals to pastures and forest areas, the Government has decided to remove the protection on all deer, excepting moose and wapiti, at tho close of the next deer stalking season unless it can be shown by the acclimatisation societies of different districts that they are adequately coping with the deer menace. " There is no doubt," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. R. F. Bollard, to-night, that deer are rapidly increasing in many parts of New Zealand, and so is increasing the amount of damage the animals are doing to our crop lands and forest reserves. Many complaints have reached me lately from agriculturists, who certainly deserve some assistance. " New Zealand has always been a fine decr-staiking country for the overseas visitor fond of tho sport. All would like to get a 16-pointer, but the rapid increase of the animals makes that impossible, for they arc multiplying so greatly. Culling out of deer, quite apart from tho causes which havo actuated tho Government in its determination to deal drastically with the deer where they have proved to be a menace, is necessary. It will mean that better heads will bo obtained shortly. That, and to cut out tho damage deer are doing, is what is wanted." Sport to be Maintained. Mr. Bollard said he had made a careful review of tho reports furnished to him about the damage done by deer. " New Zealand," he said, "is credited with being one of the finest stalking countries in the world. As a tourist remarked: 4 Any man with a rifle can get a bag.' It is the aim of the Government to maintain tho sport, but, it is its further aim to see that the crop growers of the Dominion do not suffer. It has therefore been decided to remove protection on all deer excepting moose and wapiti at the close of the next deer-stalking season unless it can be shown by acclimatisation societios of different districts that they are adequately coping with the deer menace. " It has been suggested by acclimatisation societies that they shouk expend all moneys received by them and in hand in respect of license fees for deer-stalking, together with moneys received by way of opossum revenue, in thinning out the deer in their districts. In order to give acclimatisation societies power to deal with the animals in those areas where protection has not been removed.. I have renewed the warrant for a further period of 12 months, authorising acclimatisation societies to destroy deer or to give permission to other persons to so destroy them. It has further been decided to continue the payment of bonuses in respect to deer killed within those districts in which protection has been removed. Previous " Killings " in 3octh. "Some acclimatisatian societies are doing excellent work in keeping down t}ie deer herds in their districts, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the other societies will follow in annually thinning out large numbers of deer in their areas. Tho Tepartment of Internal Affairs, in conjunction with the Forestry, Agriculture, and Lands Departments, is keeping a very close watch on the action being taken in each district, and of the number of deer killed, and also as to the destruction caused by the animals." It is not the first time that the Government has decided to remove protection on the killing of deer. In 1923 in certain parts of several acclimatisation di tricts in the South Island, where the animals were considered to be most numerous and causing the greatest damage., protection Was removed in order to assist in keeping down the pest, "ie Governmei 4 decided to grant a bonus of 2s a head for each deer killed in the, area where protection had been removed, and Is a head for each deer killed in the lemaining portion of the acclimatisation district where protection still remained. This policy resulted in the destruction of a considerable cumber of tho animals, bonuses having been paid in respect of over 20,000 deer killed.