PIGEON SHOOTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14428, 19 July 1907, Page 4

PIGEON SHOOTING.

♦ DEMAND FOR ITS [From Oor Correspondent..! WELLINGTON, July. 18. A brief discussion on the question of pigeon shooting took place in the House of'Representatives yesterday afternoon,Mr 0. M. Gray had asked the Government whether it would take step® to give effect to the petitions presented to the House last year for the abortion of the brutal sport of pigeon shooting. . .- The Government s reply was that there was provision against all sorts of cruelty to animals, but the shooting ot birds, which inflicted, in death, tho least possible pain, was not cruelty within the law. , „ ~ Mr Gray said that the Government s reply did not answer his question.. It was the duty of the House to bring such a brutal sport as pigeon shooting within tho scope of the law, ard h« hoped that the Government would taka steps in the matter. The member for Hutt said that many sports were more brutal than pigeon shooting. Stags were shot-at long ranges 'with expanding bullets, and sometimes escaped with terrible wounds, to die slowly in agony. The duck-shooter fired into a flock of clucks and wounded twice as many as ho killed. Hares' and rabbits often escaped with wounds that meant long-drawn, agony. Trout were caught oii steel hooks and played until they had no strength left before they were gaffed and dragged asho r o to di n . Ibero was no eport entailing the killing' of animals that did hot mean cruelty, and ho believed that no 'thyr sport was less cruel than pigeon shooting.' Sir Joseph Ward said that his own feeling was that pigeon shooting should be shopped, but there were two s ; drt to the matter. Very often pigeoM wore used for food. aft",r bring shot-* and th° killing of animals and birds for food always meant cruelty.