OPOSSUMS IN THE CATLINS DISTRICT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15553, 7 September 1912, Page 12

OPOSSUMS IN THE CATLINS DISTRICT.

Sin,—ln reference to Hanger Beck's report Iti the Otngo Acclimatisation Society aiicnt his inquiries among Uio farmers of tho Uttins district regarding opossums, I would hko to remark in tho most <lolicalo maimer in tho world that Hunger licolmust havo interviewed some of our local wags-ami wo Jiavo some vcrv good lf . »Ny of thom suggested that they bo clmrgc<£s for a three-months' license and a royalty for the. skins. It L, so naU.nl ihat pooplo should suggest that a ) mv , and unnecessary tux be levied upon U,»,„. selves. Wo all love to give our hard-cariicd money for nothing, or to support aoclimatisation societies m-d their rangers. Our forefathers in tho Homeland used to ; rii> in rebellion and fight for their rights, but their degenerate descendants in this country lovo to open their purses nn d toll other peopk, to help themselves to Uio content-. or to ho on tlio ground and kt tyrants jump on them with hobnailed hoofs It would I* so prpbablo that (J, O 300 farmers in Gatlms would tumble over ono another to hand in each Ins £5-note. What a haul! £15001 and 6d a skin royalty, when some of tho skins arc onlv worth 6dl" That is, to land' in £7 10s' for Uio Qrst 100 skins and £2 lCs for each 100 thereafter -/and for their own property, too! Possibly Ranger Book did not see theso wags " wink tlio other eye," and tho members of tho Acclimatisation Society must bo strangely lacking in a sense, of humour when thoy adopted such a report. Thank God our new Government has eoiiio common , sense, for it has removed tho restriction.—l am, etc., J. T. Bryant.' Pounnwca, Soplombor 4. Sin,—As a large buyer of these, I must protest against tho statement that New Zealand skins aro worth from 5s to IGs each;—ld to 10s would havo been nearer Ibo mark. I will bo pleased to show you catalogues of sales wherein a-quartcr of a million 6kins wero sold, and tho avorago was 2s 2d. What, cbanco is thero of dealing if such misleading statements aro scattered broadcast? My opinion is that tho open season should 'bo May, Juno, July, and August, and that people should bo educated to understand tho tremendous waslo caused by trapping out of season. To tako tho rabbit as an example: Super winter does aro worth over. 44d per lb; summer does !osn than «-fifth of that sum. Another point nbcmt Now Zealand o|iossiims is that thero aro_ at least Ihrco varieties, and they aro intermixing. Tho result from a furrier's point of view is disastrous. I havo several Now South Wales skins, and tho fur is. much denser and tho colour moro uniform iJmn (.ho load article. Trappers should 6eo Lliat tho skin is pegged out as nearly scpiaro as possible, that all fat is removed, lhat tho skin is not allowed to sweat or taint, lhat thn tail is opened right.along tho under side and pegged to keep it straight nnd flat.—l am, etc., it S. Bmcx Dumxiin, September 5. • THE YOUNG NEW ZEALAND PARTY. Sib,—lf your correspondent "Inquirer" would show oven a littlo manliness by coming out from behind his non-dc-plumo and disclosing his identity _ ho might do worthy of notice, but all sensible pooplo will agrco lliat, without his own namo signed to such a Idler as ho has written, his dosifj to hold up our cause to ridicule aro beneath notice. Snffico it to say that wo aro not so "green" as ho may think.—l am,

CinonoE S. Thohsox.

Opoho, September 4.