Opossum hunters not game

The Port Chalmers Rugby Club first fifteen. - Otago Witness, 31.7.1912. Copies of picture...
The Port Chalmers Rugby Club first fifteen. - Otago Witness, 31.7.1912. Copies of picture available from ODT Front Office, lower Stuart Street, or www.otagoimages.co.nz.
The Minister of Internal Affairs has forwarded to the Otago Acclimatisation Society a copy of a letter from a settler at Ratanui concerning damage done to his property by opossums, and invited comment thereon.

The letter, which read as follows, was brought before the meeting of the council of the society at its meeting last evening:

"Would you kindly remove absurd restrictions placed upon the killing of opossums in the Catlins River district.

"They are not game, and are useless except for the skin.

"Three opossums eat and damage as much grass as one sheep.

"I cannot explain to you how numerous they are.

"A greater pest than rabbits.

"If you set 50 traps on the grass for rabbits you will get them half full of opossums.

"We are not allowed to trap them.

"Allowed 30 skins, and must shoot those.

"The skins are at their best and will hold good for two months.

"We have to kill for protection, as the young grass is coming on shortly, and it is a pity if we are not allowed to realise on skins.

"The law as it stands makes us law-breakers against our will. Police and spies follow us about and raid our homes.

"The settlers here are indignant.

"Trusting this will receive your immediate attention."

It was decided to draw attention to the fact that the regulations in force were not the regulations recommended by the society, and suggest to the Minister that permission be not given to destroy opossums on the property in question until a report was received by the council.

 Recently, as the results of an examination of the Maori schoolchildren at Tuahiwi, the native village near Kaiapoi, it was reported by the inspector that the attainments in proficiency were not so high as they might have been owing to absences and irregular attendance in consequence of illness.

Acting upon this, the local School Committee applied for an inspection into the health of the Native children, and this was conducted by Drs Blackmore and Finch.

The conclusions arrived at by these two gentlemen corroborated the fact that many of the children suffer from pulmonary complaints.

It is a rather alarming fact about 50 per cent of the pupils of the school were, on a clinical examination found to be infected, and it was decided a nurse should be obtained.

Miss Inglis has arrived from a North Island sanatorium to assist in carrying out remedial treatment among the children.

As soon as the rough weather is over it is proposed to make a camp hospital, and one of the Native land-owners has offered to give a site for the purpose.

The task of dealing with the children in reducing the spread and effecting a cure for tuberculosis will be assisted in every way possible by the Natives.

- ODT, 30.7.1912.

 

 

 

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