Commercial Use Of Cat Skins 'Not Evident’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32142, 11 November 1969, Page 10

Commercial Use Of Cat Skins 'Not Evident’

'• No evidence bad been pro--11 duced to show that cat skins f were being used for commerj cial purposes In New Zealand, n the Minister of Customs (Mr I-Shelton) said in reply to a 8 correspondent, Feline, who '■ wrote to "The Press" about ■ the export and commercial • use of cat skins. The Mlnis- ■> ter referred to a petition pre--8 sented to Parliament seeking 1 prohibition of the export of J cat skins from New Zealand 1 as well as a prohibition on - the commercial use of such skins. 8 “This petition, was favour--1 ably received by the Petiti tions Committee and subsequently I decided that the ■ export prohibition should be f implemented,” he said. 1 The prohibition was I brought into force by a notl- > fication in the New Zealand ’ Gazette on August 21. At the same time a press statement ■ was issued. > The Minister said that ■ while it had been decided , that no further action was 1 required it had been agreed 1 that, if evidence of commercial exploitation was forth1 coming the Government should consider taking action

to prohibit this type of activity. The correspondent, Felina, writes:— “Sir,—ln August the Government was ‘considering prohibiting export of cat skins,’ according to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys); and the Minister of Customs (Mr Shelton) Stated positively that ‘the export of cat skins is to be prohibited under the provisions of the Export Prohibitions Regulations.’ This followed a news report of an offer of cat and dog skins to an export firm in skins, and the discovery of skinned cat bodies In the Ashburton district

No more has been heard of legislation since. The unexplained disappearance of cate long established in Christchurch city and suburban homes has been most noticeable lately, causing much distress. May I ask the revelanti Government Ministers whether a prohibition of both ex- 1 port and commercial use within New Zealand of cat and dog skins is imminent?, Export prohibition alone might not stop this terrible' practice.—Yours, etc.”