FISH AND GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23175, 22 October 1938, Page 14

FISH AND GAME

SOCIETIES'* CONTROL NATIONAL POLICY NEEDED AUCKLAND MEMBER'S OPINION [by TELEGRArn FRESS ASSOCIATION] "WELLINGTON, Friday "This council should assume more autocratic power than it has so far done," said the chairman, Mr. F. E. McKenzie, of Auckland, at the conference of the North Island Acclimatisation Societies' Council to-day. " I regret the lack of a coherent national policy for the societies of the North Island as a whole,'' he added. Mr. McKenzie said too much attention was being given to minor matters. A Fisheries Department officer had told him he thought too much attention was being given to unimportant regulations and restrictions such as the control of certain parts of small streams and so forth, instead of to matters of general policy. "Wo should take the responsibility of forcing a national policy on to the bodies we represent, whether they like it or not," continued Mr. McKenzie. "]f it displeases them they can kick us out. The two departments that control acclimatisation have told us repeatedly they are* sick of our trivialities."

It might encourage more co-opera-tion 011 the part of the departments and the Minister if the departmental officers were consulted, and their intentions ascertained, added Mr. McKenzie. Then the council could guide its discussions by the information obtained. Many of the remits were sent in year after year without due consideration and could be lightly dismissed. In other cases different districts were directly opposed to one another and the council should bind both as it thought best for the. North Island as a whole.