SHORT SHOOTING SEASON

Southland Times, Issue 24003, 19 December 1939, Page 6

SHORT SHOOTING SEASON

DECISION ANNOUNCED BY MINISTER GIVING DUCKS CHANCE TO MULTIPLY (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 18. For the game shooting season, to be opened in May next, provision will be made for a period of 14 days tor tne taking of water fowl. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) stated that there was need tor a close season, particularly for S r ®Y ducks, and the short season now to be provided was because societies contended that notice of a closed season should be given well in advance to enable them to arrange their financial affairs for the season. It was proposed, he said, to have a closed season for ducks in 1941 to give the birds a chance to multiply ana which was more important, to increase the number of young laying ducks. The decision come to would give societies the opportunity of concentrating on the work of increasing the duck population by the utilizing of the societies’ own resources for breeding and by assisting in all ways the natural breeding of birds. “I want to emphasize the necessity for the local breeding of all kinds of duck —grey, mallard and paradise, added the Minister. “From the posttion today it seems to me that the number of open seasons to be gazetted for duck must in future be determined on the extent the societies themselves throughout the country breed ducks to assist the natural breeding of birds.” The Minister expressed the hope that all acclimatization societies would follow the policy of the Wellington society in breeding mallard ducks.