BONUS ON DEERSKINS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21277, 2 September 1932, Page 13

BONUS ON DEERSKINS

MONEY FOR STALKERS PROMISING PROSPECTS DEMAND BY LOCAL TANNERIES The commercial possibilities of deer stalking, and the subsequent sale of skins, were outlined by Captain G. F. Yerex, inspector under the Animals Protection and Game Act, in an address in Cliristchurch. Mr. R. T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Labour Department, presided. He oxplained the working of tho scheme by which the Government offered a bonus of Is 4d a lb. on deer skins in lieu of tho bonus of 2s for each tail returned.

Captain Yerex explained that the present scheme had been introduced to cope with tho deer menace, which had become acute during tho past two years. The Government had found that deerskins met a ready market, and for this reason it was decided to withdraw the bonus paid on the tails, and substitute one by which profit would result both to tho stalkers and the country, as well as reduce the number of deer. The bonus on hides was Is 6d per lb. up to June 18 last, but the amount had been reduced to Is 4d for reasons of economy. It was necessary to have a good supply of skins, continued Captain Yerex, so as to keep the market active. Many of tho skins were shipped overseas, while others were sold to tanneries in tho Dominion. Business was in such a healthy state at present that there was competition for the skins, for tanneries had realised that deerskin could be used where other skins would not serve.

There were two means of going out after deer, continued the speaker. Firstly, there was the party of men who made it their business to stalk and kill the deer. Men had been doing this for years, and had met with great success and good financial return. Some had contracts from acclimatisation societies for the killing of a certain number of deer, and the price paid would be up to 33 6d a head, the rate varying according to the nature of the couatry. Then there was the man who went deer-stalking in his holidays, or during week-ends. Even if he only shot one or two deer daily on his expedition, he was assured of a good financial return. The main distributing areas for deer in the South Island were the Spencer Range in the north at Picton, and the Southern Alps. There were far more deer to be found in the South Island as compared with the North, and the animals were to be found in the foothills and bush along the ranges.