ARACCOON HUNT AT ROTORUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 27

ARACCOON HUNT AT ROTORUA.

MR HERRIES INDIGNANT, SIR JOSEPH WARD DEFENDS THft '"COONS." CFboh Ouh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 23. In answer to a question by Mr Herrierf about the introduction of raccoons at Rotorua, Sir Joseph Ward to-day gave the following reply:— "The raccoons were sent from America with other animals imported by the Government. They were intended to be confined in the Rotorua grounds for exhibition purposes only, and were placed in a wire-netting enclosure there, but unfortunately two escaped. I am aware of the destructive nature of these animals, and every possible step has been taken to have? them recaptured or destroyed. A numberof Natives have been employed scouring the country, and a reward of £10 hae been offered for the production of the animals,' dead or alive. It is hoped the animals will be captured at an early date." Tho raccoon, it may be mentionedj" is a ,oarnivorous mammal inhabiting North Ameriear. It is allied to the bear, and is about the size of a common dog. Mr Herries, in speaking in- regard to the raccoons, said they were very destructive* animals, and what had happened in regard to them was only another instance of bungling on the part of the Tourist Department* Nobody wanted the raccoons. Sir Joseph Ward : How do you know that? Mr Herries said that if the animals were wanted for a travelling circus their introduction might be understood, but people did not go to Rotorua, to see raccoons 1 . The animals got owi, ana as a x-esuli one of the settlers found 30 or 4-0 fowls dead next morning. Mr Buchanan : They are gone coons.— „ (Laughter.) Mr Herries said that the settlers would be gone coons too if something was not soon done. He ridiculed the idea of the Government importing these animals and then having to offer a reward of £10 tc kill them. Sir J. G. Ward: Did you never heai before of animals getting away? Mr A. L. D. Fraser : They are not tht only coons who have gone astray. — (Laughter.) Mr. Herries said the experiment had proved a most expensive one for the depart* msnt, and hoped it would not be repeated. Sir Joseph Ward said that inquiries showed that the fowls referred to had been killed by ferrets or weasels, and that at th© time the raccoons were in another portion of the district. As to the remarks of Mr Herries, surely he did not consider that people went to Rotorua for the solo purpose of seeing the baths. The raccoons had been put in a cage, and the honourable member must have bumped against the cage and so let the animals adrift. — (Laughter.) They were then supposed to have killed some fowls or roosters belonging to on© of the honourable member's constituents, I but the ofFieila report showed that the coons were in quite a different place- at the time. The Nightcaps correspondent of tbe> Southland Times states that a plucky action was performed on the Wrey's Bush road on Saturday by a lad 15 yews of age named! Michael Prendaviile. The lad was driving a rabbit oart, and the rabbits, which were suspended on laths, frightened a horse to which was attached a trap containing three girls. The latter horse bolted, and one oi the girls (Miss Reynolds) was thrown ouft of the trap. Fortunately a young boy, niounted on a good hack, was not far away, and Prendaviile got him to dismount, to look after the rabbit-cart, and then galloped the hack after the runaway, which had a good quarter-mile start. He managed to he-ad the trap a good mile from wheio the sta.rfc was made, and after some trouble! secured the reins and brought the conveyance to a standstill, much to the reliefi of th© little girls.