ACCLIMATISATION.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170301, 21 August 1920, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION.

CONFERENCE OF SOCIETIES'. The annual conference of New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies was •Held at Wellington on Wednesday. Mr L. 0. 11. Tripp, who Dresided, said, the Animals' Protection Act and Fisheries Act should be aironded in relation t 0 - the destruction of fish by explosives. A-great deal of dynamiting was going on in Wellington*district, _ but in these days of motor oars detection of the offenders was vow difficult. A severe penalty should be inflicted for a first offence and gaol without, the option of a fine for a second offence. Ho also nrrged that island ji adjacent to- the, Dominion should be set apart as sanctuaries. The Government had reserved 4354 acres on Iva-piti Island as sanctuaries, and ho contended that the remaining 600 acres, owned by Maoris, should also be set aside for that purpose. Some birds, including robins and herons, on lvapiti had shown increase. He suggested reducing the number of acclimatisation societies and the remaining ones made, largo-. If that were done there would he a. 1 otter chance, of getting a larger grant from the Government. Tho societies had created a valuable Dominion asset, and it was the duty of the Government to give them a substantial grant. He contended that opossums'" should net be protected in fruitgrowing areas, or in places apa.rt from the large areas of native bush; alsof that licenses should be issued by societies to tra.p opossums during ia certain month each year, and that all persons selling opossum skins should he licensed. If it were properly developed the opossum trade in New Zealand, at present worth £15,000 a year, could Be increased three times. Mr E. T. Stead (Canterbury) urged tho societies to combine in offering a big reward for anyone giving evidence leading to the conviction of a parson shooting a. white heron. Mr L. O. H. Tripp was re-elected president. The conference adopted a Cantcrh-iry remit recommending absolute prohibition of the use of auto-loading guns for i'eathered imported and native g;..;..e. On the recommendation of the North Canterbury Society it was decided that the minimum penalty for illegal shooting of game he £lO, with £l~ibr each head of game taken. AYith a view to assisting rangers in coping with poaching it was agreed that an annual license of 2s - 6d he nii- ■ posed upon all persons carrying or i:sing shotguns for the purpose of shooting. The danger of the indiscriminate use of the pea rifle was emphasised in several remits, arising out of which it was resolved to recommend the Government to impose further restrictions in this connection. With a view to regulate the size of "bags" a remit was passed limiting tho number of decoys to 25 per man, and prohibiting the use of river decoys. The Council was instructed to go into the question of the advisahleness of importing the musk rat. and the beaver into the Dominion. Several remits were adopted urging substantial increases in penalties for illegal fishing. In the case of dynamiting, liming, and tho like, it wna recommended that tho minimum Due bo not less than £2O. and the maximum not more than £SO. It was decided to request the Govern- \ raeiit to prohibit all netting at the i months of rivers.