NATIVE BIRDS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13910, 8 December 1910, Page 7

NATIVE BIRDS.

PROVISIONS FOR PROTECTION

At the annual meeting of the Philosophical Institute last night, the secretary (Mr R. Speight) said that a letter had been received from the Hon. D. Buddo, Minister of Internal Affairs, in which reference was made to subjects dealt with in the Institute's annual report. Mr Buddo, ho said, was a member of the Institute, and? took a very active interest in its work as well as the work of the New Zealand Institute, and perhaps, more interest than any other Minister. His letter was as follows: —

"T am in receipt of your Institute's annual report, and am pleased tonoto the work that has been undertakien during the year. Probably at no oilier eerio"d_ of its existence lias so much scientific work been taken in hand. With regard to the paragraph referring to the Animals Protection Act, T may say that as this Bill left the House of Representatives it did not meet tho wishes of many of those who were interested in the preservation of native birds, but through the effort of Sir William Steward, a representation was made to the Legislative Council to reverse the present law, whereby exemptions are made for protection, and declare r.ll native birds protected. This is now in tho Act, which makes provision for exempting all that ai'e considered undesirable or aro affected as game. I intend to have a poster prepared rhowing the native birds protected, and if possible have it placed in or near public schools, so that the young peonle of th)e Dominion may lenrn to treat sympathetically tho nativo bird life of the country."