KAPITI AND GOATS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 7

KAPITI AND GOATS

TO Tgß SDITO*.

Sir,—ln "Wild Life in New Zealand" (S. M. Thomson) occurs the following sentence: "Mr. \V. R. Buller, of Kaikoura, informs me that they (goats) are numerous on his run, but, while they eat very much the same food as the sheep do, they keep the- scrub and bush open, so that the aheap can inovo through it." No doubt this is the reason why thousands of goats and sheep are kept by'the Lands Department on Kapiti Island, the bird "sanctuary" that is losing its birds because it ia losing its: buSh. The goats are so useful in keeping the sorub and bush open for the equally trespassing sheep! The Lands Department has hit on a perfect combination, because any destruction that ie not encompassed by bearded Billy as he barks the trees and pulla down the boughs, will be attended to by the grazing sheep that follow after. There must be some appropriate society in London that would suitably recognise the New Zealand Lands Department's eminent contribution to fho sciences of forestry and protection of avifauna. If the matter were brought to the attention of the London scientific 1 world through the kind offices of the High Commissioner, tho Minister of Lands would surely bo suitably decorated. What' a pity Kapiti was not an eatinghouse, for then, surely, our Mr. Parr would.have had it put in order for Now Zealand's glorious /birds long ago. Ask the Maori about/it, and he will reply: "Kua tuturu to whakaaro ki te titiro »tv ki ngtt mea, anake c tika ana ki a koe, engari pea hoi tetahi'wa a mua ake nei lea ata maratna ai to titiro. ICei to aue ia Tenu, pea koo ka liaere kite tangi ?" Which means: "You (replying to the Lands Department) have made up your mind to see what suits yourself, but perhaps by and by you will see better. She (Kapiti) is uttering cries.of distress. Will you go to tho wake?"—l urn, etc., HUKA. 3rd Muroh,