OPOSSUMS.

Shannon News, 10 July 1923, Page 4

OPOSSUMS.

17,000: SKINS SECURED.

Approximately 17,000 skins were taken, last season, in the Wellington Acclimatisation district and 125 licensed issued, and the- greater percentage of trappers did well. Much experience had been gained at the expense of the trapper himself, and more attention was paid to the proper method of taking, stretching, and drying of skins. It has been frequently asserted by many persons that these animals are, and will be; a serious menance to forests, gardens, orchards, and plantations. The answer is that, in this district, approximately 30,000,skins have been taken in two seasons; also the Council has defined an area in the fruit and nurseries part of Wairarapa, within which it has recommended the Department of Internal Affairs to remove all protection from opossums. The Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921-22, also provides'power for the Governor-General in Council to make regulations enabling persons, suffering damage to their properties, to obtain permits to destroy opossums on such properties. -Enquires which are being made at the Society's office from numbers of would-ba trappers indicate the partial elimination of any surplus, phalangers in this district, and results of the open season, for 1923, should go far to satisfy the department that is can without risks give permits to the society for the capture and liberation in bush areas far from close settlement, of certain varieties of these revenue-producing animals. The proportion of fees and royalties allotted to this Society was £762 155., which has certainly earned by hard. work.