EXTERMINATION OF DEER

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1930, Page 13

EXTERMINATION OF DEER

CONFERENCE APPROVAL MENACE TO FOREST AND FARM URGENT ACTION-NECESSARY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The 45 delegates to the conference called by the Department of Internal Affairs and presided over by the Minister (the Hon. P. A. de la Pcrrelle) at the provincial Council Chamber to-day were unanimous that there is a menace oi deer in New Zealand to forest, farm, and bird life, that steps must be taken urgently to remove that menace, and that the one directing body should be the Government in consultation with th" interests represented.

Much further than that the conference did not go. Although suggestions were made variously for control or extermination of deer, it was agreed that if extermination was at all possible it would certainly be costly and that the Government must be prepared to meet the cost.

Opinion was divided as to whether the Department of Internal Affairs or the Forestry Department should have charge, some delegate® favouring a combination of the two. The Government was reminded by individual delegates that precautions must soon be taken against the increase of goats, stoats and weasels.

The Minister opened the conference with a long review of the case against deer and in his conclusion said: “Speaking quite frankly, I consider that the first step to. deal with the situation is to remove absolutely the protection on all deer and chamois, and then I would be agreeable to the protection being reimposed for a short shooting season under license to give the.acclimatisation societies an opportunity of obtaining revenue for further deer destruction.”

The conference adopted the Minister’s suggestion readily, being overwhelmingly in favour of the pxtermination of deer. ’ -

Some delegates expressed the opinion that the mere removal of the protection would not result in a great slaughter of deer, holding that this would , be brought about only by organising shooting parties, as was now done by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, and employing rangers..