Report of Conservation Committee

Matters brought before the Conservation Committee have been dealt with as follows:—

1. Ball's Clearing. As reported to the Half-yearly Meeting on December 1, enquiries were made by Mr. F. R. Callaghan, one of the Committee's members, and a satisfactory report was received that the Department of Lands was making adequate arrangements for the preservation of the natural features of Ball's Clearing, Hawke's Bay.

2. Noxious Animals Control and New Zealand Forest Service Experiments in 1080 Poisoning. Further to the report of the meeting convened by the Minister of Forests and tabled at the Half-yearly Meeting, we have to advise that the Committee has kept in touch with the office of the Minister of Forests in connection with the setting up of appropriate conservation and advisory councils.

3. Agricultural Chemicals Bill. Submissions were made to the Department of Agriculture along the lines of the resolution passed at the Half-yearly Meeting, and a reply has been received that consideration will be given to the submissions in the framework of the forthcoming legislation.

4. Destruction of Native Birds on Stewart Island. Submissions having been received from Dr. C. C. Anderson, Invercargill, reporting destruction of native birds alleged to be increasing on account of unsatisfactory ranging coverage at the Island, the convener made enquiries and ascertained that the temporary difficulty is occasioned by the retirement of the ranger for the Department of Internal Affairs. A new appointment is to be made in consultation with the Forest Service, and your Committee is satisfied that suitable action is now being taken.

5. General. The policy followed by the Committee throughout the year has been to urge intensification of research and investigation programmes wherever conservation issues appear to be involved. We consider that there was not sufficient evidence that this has been effectively done in conjunction with deer poisoning experiments in the Caples Valley, while our submissions in connection with the Agricultural Chemicals Bill were made with the same principle in view. We consider that the increased use of pesticides for many purposes requires the utmost vigilance, and would like to urge that as much notice as possible should be given to agencies concerned with biological survey by any organisation planning to use poisons or insecticides in any wholesale or indiscriminate way.

R. A. Falla,