MENACE FROM DEER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21617, 9 October 1933, Page 15

MENACE FROM DEER

WORK OF CONTROL REQUEST FOR EXTENSION The executive of the Canterbury Progress League has decided to write to the Department of Internal Affairs commending its efforts to control the deer menace and asking that more money be made available to extend the work. Mr. P. R. Climie stated that at the last meeting of the league letters relating to the deer menace from the New Zealand Forestry League and the Native Bird Protection Society were received and discussion was deferred. The Forestry League favoured the appointment of a Royal Commission, but the society expressed the view that it would be a waste of money and that immediate action to deal with the menace was necessary. Mr. G. H. Judd said that he could not understand why deer were introduced into New Zealand. He thought that before any animals, birds or insects were introduced into the Dominion there should be an investigation as to the advisability of liberating them here.

Mr. T. Bain said that from a sportsman's point of view he thought total extermination of tho deer would be rather drastic. Howover, he thought that there should be a heavy culling. He did not think there was any need for a Royal Commission. Mr. Climie said he thought they should commend the Government for what it was doing and ask that money be made available to extend the work. It had been suggested that there should be defined areas where the deer could remain.

Mr. G. Mnginness said that it would bo useless to reduce the herds to a certain number and then allow them to increase so that the work would have to be undertaken in the years to follow.