No Kiwis For Gardens
An offer by Mr S. E. Mair to provide quarters in the Botanic Gardens for kiwis was declined with thanks by the City Council last evening.
The parks and recreation committee reported that it had considered the offer, which was announced publicly by the chairman (Cr. P. J. Skellerup) recently, and recommended that no application be made to keep kiwis.
Cr. R. H. Stillwell wanted the people of Christchurch to be given the opportunity of seeing a live kiwi; but Cr. R. M. Macfarlane, M.P., said that things on exhibition
should be in conditions that conformed with nature. When he had seen kiwis in the North Island the birds had to be prodded out to go on exhibition. “They were unhappy birds,” he said. “It would be cruelty to keep them.”
Cr. Stillwell had said that any kiwis going to the gardens were already in captivity, Cr. H. E. Denton said. “We would just be changing one prison for another. God’s earth is for freedom and I am not going to be one to put a bird in captivity for someone that would see it once in 12 months. It is cruelty of the worst type.”
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 16
Word Count
200No Kiwis For Gardens Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 16
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