PLUMAGE AND FASHION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 8

PLUMAGE AND FASHION.

DEPUTATION TO MR, DEAKIN. THE SLAUGHTER OF AUSTRALIA'S BIRD LIFE. A large and influential deputation of Australian scientists and nature lovers, representing the Australasian Ornithologists' Union and some thirteen societies scattered over the Commonwealth, waited on the Primo Minister of tho Commonwealth (Mr. Dealcin) a few days ago, to urgo:—(I) That the exportation of the skins and plumes cf certain Australian birds should bo prohibited; (2) that Lord Avebury's Bill in tho British Parliament be supported, and (3) that tho Federal power be used as far as practicablo for tho preservation of tho bird life of Aus-. tralia and Papua.

Professor Spencer, who introduced tho deputation, warmly supported its objectives, and drew several useful deductions from the legislation of tho American States on tho subject of exportation of local birds, etc. Mr. E. B. Nicholls spoke of tho economic value of tho ibis, and said that an analysis made of tho contents of the stomachs of somo ibises taken from a nesting of 20,000 of theso birds showed that this ono community of birds must have destroyed 480,000,000 grasshoppers. at one meal. Mr. F. It. Godfrey, speaking for the Royal Zoological Society of Victoria, remarked that a lady had told him that when she went recently into a Melbourne shop she was shown a largo box simply full of little blue wrens— among the most beautiful and tho most'harmless of birds. (Shame.) Ho did not know how tho Federal Government could prevent tho destruction here of their beautiful birds, but tho massacro that went on in the interests of. women and fashion was simply terrible. (Hear, hear.) Mr. lieartland, president of tho Field Naturalists' Club, showed how in tho present medley of Stato laws each State blamed its neighbours for tho destruction of birds already within the game laws. Some time ■ago, ho added, an order was received from abroad for 20,000 flame-breasted robins, but through tho energy of his club tho birds were saved and the order could not bo executed. (Hear, hear.) Only a Federal law could reach some of tho ovils tho deputation doplored.

Several otlior members of tho deputation also spoke. ■

Prime Minister's Appeal to the Ladies. 'Ihe Prime Minister replied at length stating that some of the speakers had evinced greater faith in the Commonwealth Government than a knowledge of the Commonwealth constitution. It was not in tho Government's power to legislato in regard to tho animal •life of'this country so as to operate in all or any of tho States. Ho expressed tho liopo and belief that if they repeated their arguments to tho State Governments, thoso Governments would re-enforce and strengthen tho .administration of existing laws so as to prevent the massacre of lyrooirds and other birds low carried on, and disguised, when investigated, under tho pretext that tho victims came from some other State. It was only by, tho activo co-operation of tho Statos Legislatures that the question of internal control could be coped with. " If,"; pursued the Prime Minister, "wo dared speak our minds we, should say that it is another sex than ours that has tho greatest-power of control in a matter like this. If the womanly pity which, is so freely outpoured in many worthy causes were only attractcd,to tho abominable misuse of-dainty: littlo creatures for i the , purposes of decorativo display,, you would accomplish nearly the whole l of the reforms you have at your hearts. If Australian women wero active in this regard they would, by their mero abstention from the use of the plumago (f birds, accomplish a reform within 'Australia which the law will be poworless to reach for yoars to ccimo." Coming to the control of plumago importations and l exportations, tho, Prime :Mmistcr remarked on behalf of himseJE-iand i\his colleagues, that whatever it was in their, power to do' would be dono without delay. (Hear, hear.) In Juno last.' when ho had the whole question looked into, ho found that at present tho Federal Government had only tho minor of importations control. He had asked his colleague tho Minister for Customs to approve of a bylaw exorcising that power to tho full. (Cheers.) Tho greater power of controlling exportation was very important, . for, as had been pointed out, the birds they sought to, preserve wero peculiar to Australia, and were now oxport-ed in such largo numbers that this continent was becoming ono of tho world's greatest suppliers of certain plumago. However, ho had asked his colleague tho Attorney-General to draft _ a 'short mcasuro . prohibiting tho exportation of plumage, which would be submitted in the coming session, and, would, he expected, hav.o a speedy passage. (Cheers.) Besides taking the ' action indicated, he had communicated with tho various State Premiers 011 tho whole subject. (Hear, hear.) Now South Wales and Victoria had promised consideration. South Australia and Tasmania replied referring to the protecting provisions of existing laws. From Queensland and Western Australia no reply had as yet been received. With regard to Lord Avebury's Bill he had, in response to an inquiry from tho committee that ' was sittting on that measure, cabled to London saying that the Commonwealth Government had no possible objection to tho legislation. (Cheers.) With reference to 'Papua, thoro had been a temporary exemption for a certain area from a proclamation of Juno, 1904, prohibiting the destruction of birds; but this exemption had expired, and at present the destruction in tho territory of birds of paradise was prohibited. " While," said the Prime Minister in conclusion, "I am not able to say, as I should like to bo ablo to say, that the murder of the birds for decorativo purposes has ceased or will immediately cease in Australia and Papua, I think that to the utmost of our power it will be restricted."