MENACE OF DEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20528, 1 April 1930, Page 15

MENACE OF DEER.

DAMAGE TO CROPS. THE TAUMARUNUI DISTRICT. FARMERS URGE DESTRUCTION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAUMARUNUI. Monday. The deer menace was discussed at a meeting of about 20 farmers in Taumarunui on Saturday evening. The meeting was unanimously of opinion that deer should be declared a pest in Taumarunui district. Steps are to be taken to bring the point of view of local farmers before the forthcoming conference of organisations interested in the control of deer and the Minister of Internal Affairs. The meeting was convened by Messrs. R. Handley and A. W. King. Mr. Handley, who presided, said he had a deer stalker who had had 15 years' expericnco shooting over his land at present, and after this man had seen what was being done to the swedes he said ho would shoot any deer be saw, regardless of whether it had a good "head" or not. In the speaker's opinion the Acclimatisation Society should be held responsible for damage done to crops. Acres of Turnips Ruined. Mr. F. \V. Gemmell said he had given up ploughing for turnips. Last year deer ruined 25 acres of turnips on his land. He could not afford to grow turnips for deer. Mr. Gemmell said the Acclimatisation Society estimated that the herd in the Taumarunui district numbered 100, but in reality it was much larger. Mr. Handley: It is more like 500. The bush at the back of my place is just a mass of deer tracks and there are no cattle there. There are quite 100 deer round my place alone.

Mr. D. Stewart: It is monstrous to think of turnips sown at a cost of £6 an acre being destroyed because of the necessity to provide fun for two or three

sportsmen. Mr. G. A. Stanton: The existence of farming in this district is at stake. This menace has to be fought like rabbits and blackberry, which were introduced with the best of intentions, but have become pests. We must be determined to take further steps if our first representations do not result in an amendment of the law. " Deer Stalkers Do Not Help." Mr. A. E. Congdon: Deer stalkers do not help to keep -a herd in check. The trouble is that the average licence-holder is only after "heads," and will not shoot others. We want them to shoot every deer they see and not only stags. Mr. Handley: Stalkers let a hind go past every time, thinking that where there is a hind a stag is following. The meeting decided that a committee of three be appointed to draw up a letter to bo forwarded to the Dominion president of the Farmers' Union 011 behalf of the. farmers of the district, setting out their point of view in regard to the deer menace. The committee consists of Messrs. A. Kinnell, P. Handley and A. E. Congdon.

A further resolution was carried that the njeeting request the Department of Internal Affairs to make strong representations to the conference of organisations interested in the control of deer in New Zealand to be held on April 11 concerning the serious position that lias arisen in the Taumarunui district by the destruction of crops and pastures, owing to the alarming increase in the deer herd in the district.