Release of Game Birds

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31323, 20 March 1967, Page 12

Release of Game Birds

Sir, —Further liberations of birds recently declared pests by the Acclimatisation Society will do little to increase confidence in the society’s ability to administer the Wildlife Act. Wanting their cake and eating it too, they show their true colours in this, the most recent of a long line of unjustifiable and expensive mistakes. The whole concept of acclimatisation is archaic and has no application to the modern thinking in this country. Bodies that favour its retention do not have the backing of a forward-thinking society like ours. As they support a minority view, it is my belief that that should be done away

with before we taxpayers have any other problem to pay for of their making.—Yours, etc., B.N. March 13, 1967.

Sir, —It was with complete amazement that I read of the Acclimatisation Society’s plan to release black swan, Canada geese, and pukeko in favoured areas. Less than a year ago this body asserted that these same birds were a menace, and organised or allowed to be organised, swan drives and goose drives, in which all semblance of sportsmanship was cast aside. They used speed-boats and aeroplanes to rid the country of this “threat” Now, unfettered by conscience, they release the same species, no doubt to build up in numbers so that they can be slaughtered under the guise of helping the country once again.—Yours, etc., PENGUIN.

March 13, 1967. [The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society had no comment to make on these letters.]