Native pigeon shot

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 12

Native pigeon shot

Sir, —I was disgusted to ' read in “The Press” of the shooting of a native pigeon in our locality. I understand the penalty for the culprit, if ' caught, is quite severe. Could . you inform me what protec-, tion we have from people trespassing, and are the owners of these firearms aware of which birds are protected?—Yours, etc., Z. E. GARDINER. Purau, August 26. 1971. [Chief Superintendent G. Tait replies: “The Wild Life Act, 1953, makes the native wood pigeon an absolutely protected bird and a person destroying such bird is liable to a fine of up to $lOO. This act is administered by the Internal Affairs Department. Trespass on private property : after being warned to leave , is an offence under the Tres- ; pass Act, 1968, and any person committing such offence :is liable to up to three : months imprisonment and a fine of up to $2OO. It is also an offence under this act to discharge a firearm on private land without reasonable excuse or to shoot into or across private land. No comprehensive list of protected birds is issued, as this would be very difficult to compile. All birds not mentioned in the schedules to the Wild Life Act are absolutely pro- : tected. All persons are ■ deemed to know the law, and ■ ignorance of the law is no 1 excuse if an offence such as “ this has been committed.”]