May 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1291

reserve for the growth and preservation of timber, without the written authority of a Conservator of Forests or of a responsible officer of the State Forest service having control over such State forest, or provisional State forest, forest reserve, forest plantation reserve, bush reserve, timber reserve, or reserve for the growth and preservation of timber, or upon any Crown land, scenic reserve, or any public reserve without the written authority of a Commissioner of Crown Lands, or of any Board having control over any such reserve.

16. There shall be paid to the acclimatization society in whose districts opossums were taken or killed such proportion of the fees, fines, and royalties as may be decided by the Governor-General in Council.

17. (1.) No person shall export or attempt to export opossum skins without the consent in writing of the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs.

(2.) No person shall export or attempt to export opossum skins unless they have been stamped as provided for in regulation 6, and royalty has been paid thereon.

18. All opossum skins imported into the Dominion, other than those in a manufactured state, must be stamped by an authorized officer with the official stamp as proof of importation; and every person importing skins must, within three days after the receipt of such skins, notify that officer. No royalty shall be payable in respect of any such skins:

Provided that no opossum skins imported into the Dominion shall be disposed of for gain unless they have been sold through a licensed broker and are marked with a perforated device to indicate royalty has been paid as provided in regulation 6.

19. (1.) The Minister of Internal Affairs may, by writing under his hand, authorize any acclimatization society, or the officers or servants of any such society, or any other person, to catch or take opossums for the purpose of distributing or exchanging the same in some other country or in some other part of New Zealand, or for any scientific or other purpose approved by the Minister.

(2.) Any such authority may permit the holder thereof to enter upon a sanctuary for the purpose of catching or taking opossums as specified therein.

(3.) Every such authority shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified therein.

20. Before any skins are delivered by a licensed broker they shall be stamped as provided for in regulation 6, signifying that the royalty has been paid to the Department of Internal Affairs:

Provided that skins in possession of a broker shall not be delivered to the buyer or returned to the seller unless royalty has been paid and the skins stamped, except in the case where authority to deliver such skins has been granted by the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs; and such authority may be granted on such conditions as the said Under-Secretary thinks fit to impose.

21. For the purpose of complying with regulation 20, it shall be necessary for the licensed broker to notify the officer appointed to stamp skins and collect royalty from brokers at least three days before any auction sale of skins takes place; and in case of a private sale, such notification must be given immediately the sale is effected.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the royalty may be paid after the sale takes place, on the condition that the broker will be responsible for such royalty.

22. (1.) Notwithstanding anything in these regulations, it shall be lawful at any time and in any acclimatization district for the occupier of any orchard registered under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908, or for any bona fide employee of such orchardist, to kill by any means not involving unnecessary cruelty any opossums in such orchard, or on any land within half a mile of such orchard, or elsewhere within the areas defined in the Third Schedule hereto, or for the occupier of any land within half a mile of such orchard, or for any bona fide employee of such occupier, to similarly kill opossums in the area occupied by such occupier; provided that in any such case a notification, in the form prescribed in the First Schedule hereto, of the number of opossums so killed in any week shall, within seven days thereafter, be forwarded to the nearest Postmaster; and provided further that the provisions of regulation 15 shall apply to any such occupier of an orchard or his employee as if he were the holder of a license to take or kill opossums.

(2.) The skins of all opossums so killed may only be sold through a licensed broker as provided by regulation 6 hereof. In any such case two copies of the prescribed notification or notifications relating thereto shall be sent to the broker, and the broker shall forward one copy with his returns under regulation 12. If the skins are required for personal use they shall only be dealt with subject to regulation 25 hereof.

23. Subject to the provisions of regulation 22, opossums may be taken or killed within the areas defined in the Third Schedule hereto, or in any registered orchard, or on any land within half a mile of such orchard; it and shall be unlawful to liberate or harbour opossums in any area defined in the Third Schedule hereto, or in any registered orchard, or on any land within half a mile of such orchard.

24. Every person, company, or firm receiving opossum skins for the purpose of tanning same shall forward his or its full name and address to the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs. No such person, company, or firm shall have in their possession any opossum skins which have not been stamped signifying that royalty has been paid, and shall at all times produce on demand all skins in their possession for inspection by any constable, officer of an acclimatization society, ranger, or authorized officer.

25. Any person who retains opossum skins for his own use shall pay a royalty of 1s. per skin as provided in the foregoing regulations, and such skins must have the royalty-paid stamp affixed by the authorized officer before such skins are tanned or prepared for tanning or other method of preservation.

26. Any person who retains opossum skins for the purpose of preserving and manufacturing into rugs, coats, or other articles shall pay a royalty of 1s. on each skin as provided in the foregoing regulations, and such skins must have the royalty-paid stamp affixed by the authorized officer before such skins are tanned or prepared for tanning or other method of preservation.

27. (1.) Every person holding a license to take or kill opossums shall, on demand by any authorized person, produce such license, and after such demand if such license is not produced, or if the person gives a false name or place of residence or address, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £20.

(2.) For the purposes of this regulation an “authorized person” includes all Justices, constables, rangers, officers of the State Forest service, or officers of acclimatization societies, proprietors or occupiers of land upon which any person may be found in pursuit of opossums, and all holders of licenses to take or kill opossums.

28. Except as provided in the said Act or in these regulations, no person shall take or kill opossums, or sell opossum skins, or have opossum skins or opossums in his possession:

Provided that the Minister of Internal Affairs may authorize the keeping of opossums in possession subject to such conditions as he thinks fit.

29. Any person authorized to issue licenses hereunder may refuse to issue a license to any person who within two years prior to the date of his application for a license has been convicted of any breach of any of these regulations.

30. The Minister of Internal Affairs, on being satisfied that injury or damage to any land has arisen or is likely to arise through the presence of opossums on such land, may in writing authorize the owner or occupier of such land, or his servants, to take or kill such animals thereon subject to such conditions and during such period not exceeding three months from the date thereof as may be specified in such warrant.

31. Where the holder of a license hereunder has been found guilty of a breach of any of these regulations the Court may, if it thinks fit, revoke his license.

32. Any constable, officer of an acclimatization society, ranger, or authorized officer may seize any opossum skins in respect of which he has reason to believe an offence against these regulations has been committed.

33. Any person who commits a breach of any of the above regulations, if no other penalty is provided therein, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding £50 in each case, and any opossum skins then in his possession and in respect of which any breach of these regulations has been committed shall be forfeited and become the property of the Crown.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

LICENSE TO TAKE OR KILL OPOSSUMS.

[Name in full], of [Residence and calling], having this day paid the sum of , is hereby authorized to take or kill opossums within the area endorsed on the back hereof, from the day of , 192 , to the day of , 192 (both days inclusive), subject to the provisions of Part III of the Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921–22, and the regulations made thereunder.

Dated at . this day of , 192 .

[Signature.]

BROKER’S LICENSE TO SELL OPOSSUM SKINS.

[Name in full], of [Residence and calling], having this day paid the sum of £1 1s., is hereby authorized to sell opossum skins from the day of , 192 , to the day of , 192 (both days inclusive), subject to the provisions of Part III of the Animals