CULLING OF WAPITI.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 206, 31 July 1937, Page 16

CULLING OF WAPITI.

SPORTSMEN APPREHENSIVE. Information that there was every likelihood of the Government sanctioning the culling of wapiti and moose next season was placed before the monthly meeting on Thursday, of the Palmerston North branch of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society by Mr 0. Lane, who said he had received the advice from a man. who had been employed this season in culling deer. Mr Lane suggested that the society at once make strong representations to the Government that there be ho such development. After a discussion, it was decided that the chairman (Mr E. G- Matthews) go into the subject and bring it before the next , meeting of the council of the society, which is to be held in Wellington. While there might be some justification for culling red deer, said Mr Lane, he could see no cause for attempting to eliminate the moose or wapiti, which were .'/one too plentiful for sportsmen’s purposes. They were just becoming sufficiently numerous to attract enterprising stalking parties into the fiord country, and it would be a great pity if ruthless destruction of them were to be permitted. “When I received this information, I wrote to a member of the Southland Acclimatisation Society, who has informed me that that body is unanimously opposed to any attempt to kill off wapiti or moose by departmental culling parties,” said Mr Lane. If the information was correct, said the chairman, the attitude of the Department of Internal Affairs was that the bush was more valuable than the moose and wapiti. There was perhaps a certain conflict of interest between sportsmen and those determined to preserve the bush. • Attacks on moose or wapiti on that ground were most inconsistent, said Mr Lane. Timber millers were allowed to destroy the bush with heavy tractors and other machinery that ripped down everything in their path, from a sapling upwards. In certain milling areas at present everything except a millable tree was treated 'with utter thoughtlessness. The chairman undertook’to go into (he matter and bring it to the notice of the next council meeting of the society in Wellington.