Game-Bird Shooting

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 12

Game-Bird Shooting

Sir,—l hope “Ex-Farmer” was more successful at tilling the soil than he is at “selling” the sport of duck shooting. I think he had better examine the figure stated of the money collected from shooters in North Canterbury, for on his figures we should have only 300 here. While agreeing with him on the pukeko, I wonder if he is aware that poisoning of birds is entirely illegal. Does he think that the closing of the children’s park at Spencer Park to satisfy 300 shooters not an interference with common liberty and a blot on sportsmanship? Preservation of protected species by the Wildlife Division and acclimatisation societies is so much eye-wash. Last year in the Kaituna lagoon, white herons, white swans, coots, black teal and many other species were shot. Not one prosecution re-

suited: in fact three days elapsed before we even saw a ranger after making a report.—Yours, etc., M. SCOTT. May 10, 1967.

[This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.”] Compulsory Sport Sir, —“Tertullus” does not actually say so, but he would probably agree that no school subject should be sacrificed for sport in a country that is already sport-mad. Only the most courageous child will resist the pressures brought on him to be driven with the herd (yes, the herd) on to the playing field, and moral courage is a rare and needful commodity today. The muddied oaf has reigned as king too long and it is time to raise the banner for revolution, voluntary sport and original thinking. Yours, etc., • * $ R. BRETT. May 10, 1967.