ACCLIMATISATION WORK.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 248, 18 September 1929, Page 8

ACCLIMATISATION WORK.

MENACE OF VERMIN. THE DEER”PROBLEM. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 18. There was a record attendance at the eighteenth conference of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Society which opened to-day. Mr L. 0. Tripp presided and, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, showing a credit of £226 13s 4d, said that in the protection of native birds and game the societies were up against stoats, weasels. cats and hedgehogs. Trapping in the society’s reserve had been considered, but it was resolved that it would be a waste of time as the vermin were so numerous. In the year before last, 31.0uu rats, 2500 stoats, and other vermin had been caught in the Wellington district, and tins year a new record would be established. In some districts native birds were on the increase and this had been due to the trapping. Mr Tripp spoke of the culling operations by the Wellington Society which should keep deer in check. The deer had not been introduced by the society and the taking off of protection was in no way a cure for the deer problem. The only way was to employ men to kill them off systematically. Inquiries showed that opossums did no damage to forest birds or birds’ foods as they took berries from the ground. The election of officers resulted: President: Mr L. 0. H. Tripp (Wellington) ; vice-president, Mr C. A. Whitney (Auckland); treasurer, Mr J. F. Dyer (Wellington); council, Messrs F. E. McKenzie (Auckland), F. H. Stockweli (Feilding), F. J. Dargaville (Hobson), Colonel J. Hume (Nelson), C. A. Lawrence (North Canterbury), C. A. Wilson (Otago), T. R. Mackay (South Canterbury), J. Gilkison (Southland), J. A. McKenzie (Tauranga), H. J. Duigan (Wanganui), E. J. C. Wiffin (Wellington), J. S. Fleming (Wellington).