VERMIN OF THE BUSH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23594, 1 March 1940, Page 8

VERMIN OF THE BUSH

INROADS ON BTIiDLIFE EXTERMINATION CAMPAIGN APPEAL BY THE MINISTER [by tklkgrath—prkss association] WEL.LIXGTOX, Thursday A vigorous plea for the wholesale extermination of vermin, which are making inroads in the once large population of native and game birds of the Dominion, was made by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, to-day. The stoat, ferret, polecat, weasel, hawk, hedgehog and wild rat, in spite of the crusade against vermin by Government departments and acclimatisation societies, were maintaining their killing ways among birds, he said. A country without its birds would be a country robbed of a great asset, and he would urge the pursuing and killing of every specimen seen of the species he had mentioned, which were all a direct menace to birdlife of every kind in the Dominion.

"A shudder is felt to-day by any bird admirer,'' the Minister said, "when reading in the early records of the country of acclamation by which stoat, weasel and polecat were received in New Zealand as enemies only of the rabbit. The animals certainly have helped in the destruction of the rabbit, but they have to-day a keen appetite for our birds, and it is birds they now prefer to the rabbit. I appeal to all citizens, whether dwelling in cities or on farm properties, to help officials of Government departments and acclimatisation societies in efforts being made to clear the land of pests." In the Potorua acclimatisation district. which is governed by the State, the Minister said a bonus of two shillings was paid on the tails of stoats, ferrets, polecats and weasels, sixpence for the feet of hawks, and threepence for the snouts of hedgehogs. From every 30s game licence issued in the North Island, 5s was paid to the North Island council of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society toward the cost of the campaign against vermin.