TRAPPING THE TRAPPER.

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 13

TRAPPING THE TRAPPER.

. Dear "Truth," — I am writing to let ,you know haw the oppossum trappers are trapped by the N.Z. Government. In. the first place, we pay £ 2 10s ' for a license. I won't grunt at that. With my license I took myself to Stewart Island. After sticking- m the bush for a month I got back and found that the price of skins was down to 7s 6d taking them right through. Before I went into the bush they were 17s 6d. Some drop m a few weeks! I took them along to copper, he and the ranger are one out m that wet hole. He barked out, "How many have you got?" I looked at the mighty man and said meekly, "Oniy 50." "Where is your consignment book?" I gave it to him, one page already partly filled m. I never consigned them .(my skins) to anyone. I told him that I was not satisfied with the price, so I would pay the royalty myself and hold then till I got a better price. He barked again: "You can't sell them if you pay your own royalty. You must consign them to some licensed broker." Now a licensed broker came over. He said-: . "My poor fellow I can only give you 7s 6d. Of course, dear chap, I will pay , your royalty, and . railage also, and will save you commission," but he knocked it off just the same, for skins were worth about 8s Cd to 9s, and this joker offered 7s 6d clear. This is how pretty (well all the trappers on Stewart ■ Island were fleait with by licensed brokers. Now, is it 'fair that a trapper, after paying his iliceTJse and royalty, can't, sell skins his own way? ..The law says you can give them away. But who Wants tp| give away a whole catch? We keep a "few for those we love best, who wouldn't? Well, "Truth, . help us to trap that law so that we shall have the right' to do what we like with our skins after royalty lias been paid. Yours, etc., • / TRAPPER. J