PROTECTED BIRDS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 83, 6 January 1928, Page 12

PROTECTED BIRDS

IMPORTATION NOT DESIRED

THE POSITION DEFINED

The lion, secretary of Hie New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society (Mr. E. N. Sanderson) has forwarded a copy of a letter received from tho Department of Internal Affairs on the question of importing birds without a permit, and tho society's reply thereto. Department's Letter. 1 have to acknowledge receipt of your letter relative to the question of obtaining certain absolutely protected birds for the purpose of sending them to London Zoo by way of exchange for the nightingales recently imported, and asking for an intimation as to the Department’s attitude regarding the supplying of the world’s zoos with protected birds. In reply, lam directed by the Hon. Acting Minister of Internal Affairs to inform you that it has already been decided not to authorise the capture of absolutely protected birds for exportation out of the Dominion. I may add for your information that no application for authority has yet been received, but, in the meantime, Mr. Wilson, who brought the nightingales to New Zealand, is being informed that authority to take absolutely protected birds for the purpose of export cannot be granted. (Signed) G. P. Newton (for Under # Secretary). Society’s Reply. ’ We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter with reference to th erenor'ted desire to obtain certain absolutely protected birds by way of exchange for some nightingales recently imported, and in reply we should like to congratulate the department on taking a firm stand by not authorising the exportation of absolutely protected birds. The attitude of this society is not against the release of these nightingales, now they are here, except on or near a sanctuary for native birds, but it does contend that the conditions of the Act should he complied with, and that the department should have been first consuted before shipping the birds. Enough damage has already been done to New Zealand in an endeavour to make this country a replica of England by peop'e who do not realise the complexity of wild life matters As it is. we can only sympathise with the department, who were placed in the unenviable position of either ordering the destruction of four charming birds or of overlooking the discourtesy shown in the endeavour to usurp the functions of the department. We are communicating with the Tloyal Society for the Protection of Birds in England. soliciting their co-operation and assistance in the prevention of the destruction of birds in such unwise attotnps as the constant repetition of en**avours to acclimatise birds of migratory habits. This is. we understand, the third attempt at least to acclimatise nightingales, and-no doubt the department could have informed those desiring of having another try that further attempts were not advisab’e, had they been consulted before shipping. E. V. SANDERSON (Hon. Secretary).