The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Lounties Gazette. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1905 NATIVE BIRDS.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 31, 30 August 1905, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Lounties Gazette. Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1905 NATIVE BIRDS.

Sir Joseph Ward is to be congratu lated on his determination to preserve as far as possible the native bird life of New Zealand. The Minister has now under considera tion a long list of native birds which it is proposed to gazette as beinf; absolutely protected. There is in eluded in the list a large number ol bush birds which in the early days ol the Colony were so deligntfullj numerous, but which are now passing into oblivion of extinction. The destruction of the native forests has, ol course, largely contributed to the deerease of these little creatures o the bafh, and too little uttention bai been paid to their claims for protec tion. On tho subject the Press say3 We sincerely trus-t Sir Josepr Ward's effo'ts to preserve the nativi birds from further d etru tion will bi succes-ful. They can only be so however, with strong public support We would suggest, as a means t< this end, that a separate list of th< smaller birds that are to be protectet should be supplied to every school ir. the Colony, and that teacher* b< urged to bring it under the notice o boys. If the latter must kill some thing they can gratify their inclina tions at the expense of the acclima tised birds which are already unde the ban of the law. But let ui preserve eo long as possible thi quaint and characteristic native bird: which lend so great an interest, ii the eyes of nature lovers, to shori and river and bush.