SHOOTING SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23220, 14 December 1938, Page 13

SHOOTING SEASON

NEXT YEAR'S PLANS LICENCE FEE QUESTION A recommendation that the shooting season should be opened on the first Saturday in May next year was made at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last night. The first two weeks of the season are recommended for the shooting of pukeko, and the first two weeks in February for godwifc. Reporting on the conference of Ndrth Island acclimatisation societies, the president, Mr. F. E. McKenzie. said the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, would alter the licence fee only if the North Island was unanimous in wanting a uniform licence. Mr. McKenzie said that six out of seven societies had agreed to a fee of 30s, and he thought they should ask the Minister to regard this as a unanimous rote. North Auckland wanted the 2os fee. ,• The council decided not to recommend a closed season for grey duck next year in view of the fact that, in members' experience food supply was the factor on which an increase in birds depended, and they were always in better condition at the end of the season than at the beginning. It was decided to ask for a closed season when the necessity arose, making it clear that the prohibition applied only ! to grey duck. . ( It was reported that approximately ; 4000 pheasants had been allocated for release next February, two-thirds going to the clubs and cne-tlfird ,to the areas controlled by the game cominit- ' tee.