SHOOTING SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 15

SHOOTING SEASON.

FAcrirmES FOR

NO DOG-BOXES ON [TRAINS* 7

COMPLAINT MADE BY SOCIETY Getting within range of his quarry pg the first of May holds no joys for Suji W. E. Parry, M.P., according to repr&« sentations he feelingly made to the Hon.' P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister of Internal Affairs, yesterday, in introducing a deputation from the Auckland Acclimatisation Society.

"The railway accommodation for dogs taken north for the opening of the shooting season is abominable," declared Mr.Parry. Insufficient room was provided, and even the sportsmen themselves could not get seating accommodation. On tho occasion of the opening of the last shooting season they were forced to take their dogs on to the carriage platforms and hold them all the way to turolo. Mr. Parry mentioned that he had had the experience of being unable to get a seat on the train. "Racing people get concessions in the charges for horses," said Mr. Parry. "We do not ask for that. All we ask for is that we should get the accommodation for which we pay." Supplementing these remarks, Mr. F* E. McKenzie, president of the society, said there were no dog-boxes on the train.Owners of valuable dogs—some were worth up to 130gns.—wanted adequate protection for their animals, particularly against disease. That could not be given when the dogs were all forced into S confined space. The Minister corrected Mr. Parry on his statement that racing people had concessions. Free carriage used to be pro* vided on one trip, but owners now had tq pay both ways. However, the Minister, hoped the free carriage one way for racehorses might be restored. He .would bring the matter of accommodation for; dogs before the Minister of Railways on his return to Wellington.

The Minister • was also told that thd society was perturbed at having to pay freight at parcel rates on trout fry.carried by train. The society bought up to 600,000 trout fry annually from the Government, and had been granted free carriage from Rotorua, but the prospect (of a charge being made from next August meant that the society would have to' reduce its order by one-half, and correspondingly reduce its liberations. Another matter mentioned was the fact that stoats and weasels were protected on the ground that they destroyed rabbits. The society held that the present high rates realised by skins was sufficient to kill the rabbits. The stoats and weasels* caused great depredations among quail and pheasants. The society sought the privilege of being allowed to place a price on the heads of stoats and weasels so that their destructive work could be checked. The Minister received these and other minor representations sympathetically, and promised to investigate those affecting his departments, while he would refer other matters to the appropriate Ministers. Mr. de la Perrelle expressed hearty agreement with the sentiments with reference to stoats and weasels, which lie recognised were a menace to bird life. He would bring that point under the attention of the Agricultural Department.