THE WAIRARAPA DEER HERD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14817, 26 April 1910, Page 6

THE WAIRARAPA DEER HERD.

" QUESTION OF DETERIORATION. (Fbom Our Owh Cohrespondsst,) WELLINGTON,'ApriI 25. ■ The interview with Mr Senior regarding the deterioration of the Wairarapa deer herd ,has attracted considerable attention here. The .secretary of the Acclimatisation Society writes to the Dominion stating that Mr Senior's observations are not borne out by the information supplied to the Wellington Society. He cites two instances in which parties secured a few "royals"—one a thirteen and one a fourteen pointer amongst other heads. As to poaching in the Government sanctuary, he admits that a. certain amount goes on, but he adds that the society does, its be6t with the

means at its command to put it down. With respect to the illicit sale of heads the new regulations providing for the' sale of deer's heads and antlers, and for a system of "tegs," should go far to minimise this.' The Acclimatisation. Society has taken very effective' steps during the past oighteen months towards improving the heads of deer in its dis-' trict, and is'continuing to do so. Mr Senior, in reply, maintains His. ground. In the course of his letter.he says:—"l fear, many stalkers' accounts' of the ' really good heads.' they have secured have to, be taken with reservation. A gentleman who has just returned from the Wairarapa told me that he had got tour excellent heads-one royal, two eleven pointers, and one -ten pointer.- .1 went to see them, and in my opinion they were wretched specimens for New, Zealand—thin in the horn, narrow, and very uneven. I was sorry to think that they were-to,be tak"en Home as specimens of the Wairarapa stags. I went to see the I heads shot this year in the district, and sent to Mac Donald to be set up, and there was not a good head amongst them." Mr. Senior adds that there is no doubt that the Wairarapa herd is deteriorating rapidly, and that it must continue to,do • en unless the old hinds are shot out, also all malformed stags and-small ''rotters." In conclnsipn he snvs :—" AH sportsmen who come hero realise how much we owe to the acclimatisation societies of New Zealand for the trouble they take in the interests of sport generally, and our only desire 16 that the Dominion should hot lose tho good name it has for many yeans maintained in- all parts of the world where there are keen sportsmen."