OTAGO DEER HERDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14756, 12 February 1910, Page 14

OTAGO DEER HERDS.

. Sir,—ln" your issue of Saturday, last, :Ivlr B.; Hardcastie returns to the question of; the management (or mismanagement) and control.of (ho Otago deer herds, .There, can be no gainsaying fhe ,tact that ho has strong cjvso, and one that shou-lci. .be taken; up in the 1 interests of the Dominion,, ind«-. pendent of colonial sports. There are' immense areas of country in Now Zealand, that are well adapted tor game reserves— including ». 'fact of bush land on the Blue Mountain? *t'. Tapanui.—and', therefore, it ir only reasonable to advocate that the Government, in fho interests of t!:o tourist 'trade, ihoulcf take t hand in seeing iliafc gucb country >? properl; stocked with 'gamp. Yet' in Otago foi over 15 years :past T» hayfr. had . fhn... .Acclimatisation Society :utilisiiig vyentitf :frorni-.''debr: licenses' in' the intoiiMto ftp Ashing streams. M» ( out,.. and the' .-'sheet' will confirm :t. ' I Venture >0' say 'that. had a local board .'wen in' control - of the deer herd at Tapanui : fo'r the past 10 years, and had the revenue- derivable 'therefrom, to. spend on its supervision and upkeep, there would haVe been good' sport procurable today, instead of a 'depicted /herd comprising too many hinds arid some .weedy- stags. If- ..the .Aecliiiintisatpi '.Society, will ;_not face'.the' question'-i* onccv ->t'ron« agitation should be ; -made 'ro mdiiw fho Government' at least "to make inquiries,. That done, I feelasiured - it \yould : not albw matters to drift'on as at present,- Another .-' shooting season is at,, hand,, aho ,1. |:ope, that de'ersto,lkers' frill combiiie and iiisist upon something bsins •-io.no to preserve the',sport.-—t am, .etc., TAPA'sui;