May 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1353

23. (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 or public domain 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.

24. (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 occupier, 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 Second 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 return, in the form No. 6 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, who shall forward it to the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs; and provided further that the provisions of regulation 6 shall apply to any such occupier 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 be disposed of only as provided by regulation 7 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 14. If the skins are required for personal use they shall be dealt with subject to regulation 15 hereof.

25. Subject to the provisions of regulation 24, opossums may be taken or killed at any time within the areas defined in the Second Schedule hereto, or in any registered orchard, or on any land within half a mile of such orchard; and it shall be unlawful to liberate or harbour opossums in any area defined in the Second Schedule hereto, or in any registered orchard, or on any land within half a mile of such orchard.

26. No person shall tan or otherwise preserve any opossum skins unless the same bear the official mark; and every person carrying on the business of tanner or skin-preserved receiving opossum skins not bearing such official mark shall forthwith after his receiving same forward the name and address of the person from whom the skins were received to the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs.

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. 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 or of any former regulations respecting opossums made under Part III of the said Act or under the Animals Protection Amendment Act, 1920.

29. 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.

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

32. Any constable, officer of an acclimatization society, forest officer, ranger, or authorized officer may seize any opossums or 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.

[Form No. 1.

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.]

NOTE.—The attention of trappers is drawn to regulation 8.

[Form No. 2.

THE STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY SKINS.

[Signature of Trapper.]

I hereby certify to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the above statement is correct.

[Signature of Ranger, or Secretary of Acclimatization Society, or Postmaster.]

Date :

[Form No. 3.

BROKER’S LICENSE TO SELL OPOSSUM SKINS.

[Name in full], of [Residence and calling], having this day paid the sum of £1 ls., 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 Protection and Game Act, 1921–22, and the regulations made thereunder.

Dated at this day of , 192 .

[Signature.]

[Form No. 4.

New Zealand.

APPLICATION FOR BROKER’S LICENSE UNDER PART III OF THE ANIMALS PROTECTION AND GAME ACT, 1921–22.

In pursuance of the provisions of the above-mentioned Act, and the regulations made thereunder, I, [Name in full and address], hereby make application on my own behalf [or on behalf of the firm of , of which I am a member; or on behalf of (Name of registered company), whose written authority authorizing me to apply for and hold a license under the said Act is hereto annexed, marked “A”] for a broker’s license.

My place of business is [State full particulars as to place or places of business].

Dated at this day of , 19 .

[Signature of applicant.]