TRAPPING OF OPOSSUMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20089, 4 May 1927, Page 10

TRAPPING OF OPOSSUMS

REDUCTION OF ROYALTY SOUGHT. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. (SPSCXAt to Dau.i Timm.) WELLINGTON, May 3. Representations were made to the Minister o£ Internal Affairs (the Hon. R. r. Bollard) by a deputation from the licensed brokers under the opossum regulations at the end of last week urging that there should bo a revision o£ the control of tno opossum industry, especially in the matter of the payment of royalties. It was pointed out by the spokesman, Mr lan Mackay, of Dunedin, that some years ago, when there was no open market for opossum skins owing to the scarcity ot skins, they brought from 10a to 15s each. It was thought at the time that a tax of Is per skin by the Government was a fair charge; but when the season became an open one the price was seriously affected by the number of skins that were forthcoming. The price in the Wellington district for the last seven years had been 5s 8d per skin. It was considered in these circumstances that the tax of Is per skin, which still obtained, was out of all proportion to the value of the article and to whatever services were rendered by the State or the acclimatisation societies in procuring them. In Australia a 5 nor cent, tax was fired on what was actually paid to the trapper. Mr Mackay said it was considered that the present tax was a serious bar to what might bo a very good industry. If the royalty were reduced the benefit would bo to the trapper in a major way and to the broker in a minor way. Touching upon the question of trapping control. Mr Mackay said that the idea of the royalty originally was to prevent poaching and to prevent schoolboys and others from getting skins. That was to bo revised at the end of three years, but there had been no revision. lie suggested that the industry had grown ' to such an extent that a special department should bo set up to deal with the subject. They would like to see large stretches of bash land opened up for the rearing ?f opossums exclusively. Expert advice might bo obtained on that point. At present, he said, the revenue being received by acclimatisation societies was out of all proportion to the value rendered to the industry. In reply tq the Minister the speaker said he would favour the Government purchasing the skins if the Government would undertake to develop the industry to the best advantage without interfering unduly with private enterprise. The Minister remarked that a reduction of the tax would not make any difference to the broker, and he doubted if the trapper would get very much benefit from it. However, the deputation had made suggestions giving food for thought and the department would consider the matter and see what could be done.