DESTRUCTION OF KEAS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1929, Page 6

DESTRUCTION OF KEAS

DEPUTATION ASKS FOR DISC'R IAIIN AT lON. WELLINGTON. May 23. A review of the question ol indis criminate slaughter of the kea was sought liv a deputation arranged by the New Zealand Alpine Club and the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society, which waited on the Minister of Lands (the lion, G. W. Forbes) today. 'I lie president of the Alpine Club (Air A. P. Harper) said the deputation was willing to base its ease on the. assumption that keas in some localities did a considerable amount of damage. He was definitely ol opinion that keas were by nature not rangers over a large district, the custom being to coniine themselves to the localities near their breeding place. Between 1920-21 and 1927-28 the Government had paid out in subsidising the killing of keas a sum of £7259, an average of just over £9OO a year. That at Iterate of 5s a head meant that during the last eight years over 29,000 keas had been killed. While not asking for protection for the birds, the deputation, asked that sheepowners be permitted, to kill birds as they desired, even > to. extermination in those districts ii) which the owners of sheep found 'them destructive, but that any rewards for heads should he payable l,v the '.sheepowners and not by the State, /lhin's keas would be killed only where they were really destructive and left alone 1 where tncy did no harm, The point was made by Prolessor Kirk that sonic birds were killers white others were not. Replying to the representations, the Alinister said, on the question of subsidy, that it would he understood that the Government did not want to make swell payments if there was any way in which they could he avoided. The claim made by sheep owners had been Unit knits were bred on Crown lands and that, therefore, the Crown wins responsible to that extent for keeping them down.. Whenever .it had been suggested ' that the subsidy should he discontinued, resolutions find poured in froiii.'..local authorities ."and others declaring 1 that it would he Very unfair if 1 tile" Government allowed _ the birds to multiply find cause.greater damage than had'been done. .1 Air Harper asked would it be possible to sav .that no bonys 'should he pa iu in country _ tlm l . was 'not sheep country.-..." The'Alinister replied that that was a matter, he j.would go into and see whether it was possible, to fix the limitation suggested,. The Minister promised to consider the. points raised.