SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 54

SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, Febmary 7._ A" v.riter signing himself "T. J. D.-J." in an English sporting paper warmly praises New Zealand as " a cheap and good land for sport.'' After stating that the journey thither is " ch^ap and easy and luxurious," he says: "At the moderale estimate of £100 for each stag killed in Scotland, such shooting as can be had free in New Zealand would cost thousands of pounds in our forests, and not only !•» there deer shooting, but 'excellent trout" fishing, great attention having been paid for some years to the acolimatisrftioii ' aiitl rearing of trout. The deep-sea fishing reminds one of tarpon fi-hing m the rivers of Florida, and though nn large uati\c qundmpeds cxi-^t, there ia the hunting of horar>% cattle, goats, and pigs now run wild, and the shooting of Tjheasant^, quad, and various wild ducks. 5n the large forests and bush country are the native birds — the beautiful wild pigeon, the koka (sic), the kuivi o weni (sic), the uurMving wingless bird, the gorgeous green and gold kakaio (sic) or ground parrot, and otheis — aud of the introduced game there are pheasant.-; and hares in plenty, which flourish in this climate, and, of course, the irrepressible rabbit. As many as a hundred hares have been killed by one gun^ in a day and 30 brace of wild pheasants." New Zealanders will smile at the curious disguises under which the well-known "kaka" and "kiwi" and " kakapo" appear, but that is by the way. The writer proceeds: "On the rivers and lakes there is no lnck of wild duck if all sorts— geeee, swans, curlew, plover, snipe, godwit and thp dotterell »ow nearly extinct on our Yorkshire hills. A license, of £1 only, entitles ore to shoot deer in a whole province, another pound fo fish in every river, and a third to shoot all other kinds of game. The sport, too, is enjoyed amid come of the finest Fccnery in the world — how different from our monotonous covert 6hooting at Home <— the climate k excellent, and the people one meets hospitable and ready to help one. Deer-stalking, which can be had through both islands, begins in February, and fallow deer in many parts are so numerous that they may be shot without restriction as to numbers, especially in the Auckland district. The extent of country which may bo shot ever is immense, and yet pood hotels are generally within reach. The popular sporting centres of Cambridge, Okoroire, and Tirau lie within a few hours of Auckland by rail. and. though I have not personally visited the Island of Mototapu, within 10 miles of Auckland, I read in the Auckland Times (sic) that it carries splendid herds, and that Mr Pveid, the owner cf the island, heartily welcomes bona. fide sportsjxieii, In the dktrict^ WairaHtfta

[ is well stocked with red and fallow deer, and at Carnarvon sambur deer have been successfully introduced. In the Nelson province are many ■ doer, both red j.nd fallow, as also on the Blue Mountains in Otago, and about lakes Waiiaka and Hawea, where the scarce axis deer may also be found." Finally he has something to say about piscatorial matters in the colony, _ thus : "The trout Sching throughout both islands of New Zealand is quite xinrivalled, hundreds of rivers being well stocked. In the Auckland province both brown and .rainbow trout Abound. Even in the Hot Springs district about Kotorua and Taupo there is good fishing, especially in the Urewera district. There are scarcely any restrictions as to fishing even in private waters ; al' large rivers are open to the public, and the different acclimatisation societies will endorse the £1 licenses, making thorn universally available.. One may fish with fly. bait, and minnow, and baskets of from 501b to 1001b are frequent, a single fish occasionally scaling up to 301b. Ar, to deep-sea fishing with rod and line, a Eport too neglected at Home, there is abundance on the harbour 3 and coaßts. The Maori kaku, or kingfish, gives sport like the tarpon in Florida, being a game fish, 4ft to sft long, »cd up to 3Qib weight. The kakawai, or sea salmon, is also common, and -affords good sport, cither v?ith spoon, artificial minnow, or live bai-. Wild cattle and pigs," he concludes, ** may be found in the rougher districrE, and wild goats abound on the coasts of Auckland. On the Taupo Plains are poba of wild horses too rough for the ordinarysportsman. The great charm of sport in. New Zealand is its freedom, there being but Bcldom any question of trcspoGs, and leave is but seldom refused by landowners;, on the contrary, one is almost certain of a friendly welcome and information as to sport, the country not being yet overdone by travellers, and with a small outlay ' Sqiiire Lackland ' can enjoy better sport, have more freedom and variety, and have a far better time generally in New Zealand than if he spent thousands in rent and expenses, or owned the best deer forests and trout streams in bonnie Scotland."