CLOSE SEASON FOR DUCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21961, 19 November 1934, Page 11

CLOSE SEASON FOR DUCK

REQUEST TO MINISTER DOUBLE LICENCE FEE OBJECTIONS TO PROPOSALS [from our own correspondent] Hamilton, Saturday Representations were recently made to the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Internal Affairs, by the Hamilton Acclimatisation Club asking that a close season be observed next year for grev duck in the Auckland Acclimatisation Society's district, with the condition that the society be permitted to charge £2 for licences for the following season, instead of £1 as usual. It was pointed out to the Minister that owing to closer settlement and the unwatering of large areas of country, the feeding and breeding grounds of the birds were becoming much reduced and that a number of private sanctuaries were l>cing abandoned, owing to the force of economic pressure requiring the country to be brought into more profitable use. The Minister, in discussing the matter yesterday, said that protection was not so much sought for the older birds because, while they were not the main breeders, they were more wary of sportsmen and were not too easily shot, owing to their sagacity in flying high in their cross-country migrations to the more remote sanctuaries after being disturbed at the opening of the shooting season.

Mr. Young stated that no great objection could be raised to the request. In fact, he said he would welcome the proposal.provided it was practicable and that unanimity among the societies could be obtained. He added, however, that protection yould be much mere effective if it were applied to all the acclimatisation districts in either the North or the South Islands, instead of to one local district only.

The Minister said that strong objection had been already expressed by a number of licence-holders to the proposal to charge a double fee for licences for the year following the close season and this would probably prove a barrier which would require careful considorsition. Mr. Young said he informed the deputation which waited on him that the representations of the society would receive the utmost consideration.