CONTROL OF VERMIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 3

CONTROL OF VERMIN

NEED FOR ACTION WT-lAKATANE DISCUSSION “When in Wellington six weeks ago I took the opportunity of seeing the Minister of Internal Affairs, the lion. W. E. Parry, and I told him that we would like to see the ranger at our meetings, and also that the .club should have some say in the liberation of pheasants in the district.” said the president, .Mr. W. El. Semmens. at the Whakatane Rod and Gun Club’s meeting). "Mr. Parry said that gun clubs had his sympathy* and could rely on him for help, lie is going to liberate 16,C<to pheasants, and has established a game farm at Ngongotaha. “The Government is liberating birds, hut 1 say its policy is very shortsighted.- ’ said Father Van Reck. “It is doing nothing) about vermin, and, unless it controls vermin, it is just liberating food for them, fou must make an attempt to get rid of vermin. The Government has now assisted us by lifting the regulations protecting stoats and weasels, hut«that is not half sufficient. A bounty should :te paid on these pests. Last season the greater part of the quail shot was cocks, as the hens had evidently been taken on their nests by vermin. If an effort is not nude, flic pheasant will go the same way.’ Air. Reynolds supported this view. He said that in England, where game was preserved, gamekeepers made every effort to cot rid of vermin.

The club decided to organise a shoot of shags, which, if. was stated, wore taking a big toll on trout. The Internal Affairs Department, will be isked to subsidise the outlay on ammunition for the shoot.