NATURE—AND MAN

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11828, 9 January 1933, Page 3

NATURE —AND MAN

A CHAT ON FASHIONS

ACTION AND REACTION

(Edited by Leo Fanning)

■AVlio; -except deep-thinking scientists and other would imagine that welfare of New-Zealand’s native forests may .depend .on women’s fashions ? 1 ‘Birds ? Yes,”- you may say, ‘‘but the wild woods 1 Expound. Clarify the issue, until it becomes much clearer than the average solution of .the . slump.” Well, readers who have tho patience to go through the whole of this column, will get a. new viewpoint on the far-ranging possibilities of fashions. ...

PASSING.WHIM OF THE SLIM

11l an. editorial on a report from London that “the slimming craze nvas lllnios b over’ s a Wellington paper, remarked :

‘‘lt is a serious matter if bacon and eggs ar c to be restored by' the deposition of fruit breakfast's. At one time feminine whims and - fancies were indulgently regarded but- the practical university of modern fashions has cau'sod tho swing of tasto to bo anxiously studied. Dress materials and leugths are a familiar instance. For women nowadays- are the chief spenders and influence most of the purchases they do not actually make. Possibly the continuance'.of the depression is partly duo to tho idea that it is fashionable to economise.”

That is another way of saying that a fervour for plumpness may be a cure for the general slumpness. One can imagine butcher and baker yearning: ‘‘if women would only plump against the slump—not a. few of them some of the Pane, • but all of them all the time.”

WHEN BIRDS WERE WORN

When women’s fancy, (moved by fashion) turned to feathers, .wings and oven whole birds for hats some years ago, the hearts of millions of nature-lovers were solely grieved. Many a time .1 was among the writers who spread much ink against the shedding of the birds’ blood, but it was all in vain. M oman’s heart .was touched, perhaps, but what wag. she to do against fashion’s stern decree. “Birds, or parts of them, must be worn.”? And worn they were, until fashion took another .whim. Here is one- of my old-lane ousels against that slaughtering for barbaric millinery:—

TILE FASHIONS SPEAK

Our command is: ‘‘Queens, obey! -1 Our demand js: •'■'Homage pay."’ Who'd offend us When ne make Those tremendou., Hats the stake? Countless altars Iteek with Blood. Pity falters In the mud. Pur and feather (Cieunse the stains) Go together. Count the gains. When we order, -Maim and slay. Gentle Maude or Anue will pay. Lower creatures (That’s the term) Prank our features. Worms must s quinn. Hide the stains, and Give the goods. Seoul the pain's, and Clear the woods. He (timidly) : ‘‘These have bled, dear.” She (surprised) : ‘‘Had they throats ?” Ho: “Amd red blood, dear.” She: “Oil, the goats!”

THE MAORI AND THE HUIA

A Maori fashion brought . death to the aristocratic huia, one of the world’s noblest birds. Tho tail feathers wore much prized a s ornaments in tho headgear of chiefs. In this matter tho Maoris lacked the shrewdness of their Polynesian bin of Hawaii. There natives set great val -no on the small yellow feathers (only one under each wing) of the oo bird, but care was taken to save the life of the 00. When the feathers had been gently removed, tho bird was set free, in the hope that it would grow another pair of feathers for itg liberators. The most-treasured exhibit in the Museum of Honolulu is the big feather cape of Kainohameha tho Great, who was known as “Napoleon of tho Paeiiie.” Centuries passed in the making of that wonderful cape, composed 0(1 millions or the oo yellow feathers, each less than an inch long, fixed to no netting. This relic of Hawaiian Royalty is insured for a million dollar.

THE TURN OF b'HE FUR

Feathers have: mostly flown from women’s raiment in. civilised countries, but'fur is still in tho running That is why New Zealand has an “opossum industry.” with the native'forest as a foraging ground for the alien animals. Wilde furls in .fashion, opossums. will be trapped and stripped. But. suppose that fashion swings away from fur as a wrap for women 1 Then, the opossum-hunt-ing might not be worth while. As these nimble,animals have no natural enemies in. the forest, they could increase their present. numbers enormously, and could work havoc in the woods. r ’ , An indication of such a. possibility is; seen in the rabbit situation. A few: years ago, when, the skins sold at high prices, som© of the owners or leasiee* of “rabbit country” wore joyful. They felt that there was more profit ill,;the -rabbit than in the sheep. •Many'trappers took'heavy toll-of the rabbits, which • were .thus/ kept in check: 'But a ; slump, in the skin ;marlcot put. a curb on trapping;' and “bunny” began to 'multiply agaian in certain localities.. ■ ; ' *' . At the moment,.-fashion seems to be the - principal “wild-life-controller W regard to .the opossum. How:- long will that hapliazardness: continue: ? ,