WHITE HERON’S FATE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18413, 20 May 1920, Page 5

WHITE HERON’S FATE.

SHOT AT LAKE ELLESMERE. INDIGNANT SPORTSMEN. • The shooting of a whito heron near Lake Ellesmere a few days ago was referred to indignantly by members of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last night. Mr E. F. Stead said that it was lamentable that members of that beautiful species, which was rare in New Zealand, should be shot. They were fairly tame, were conspicuous on account of their white plumage, were slow of flight and ’were an easy_ prey for even tlie worst marksman. There were two birds at the lake recently, and if they had been allowed to live there they would have established .a colony of tho species near the Lake. There now was only one colony of the species in New Zealand, on the West Coast, and the members of the colony were very tame. The society should do its utmost to prevent the destruction of these beautiful birds. He moved that it should offer a reward of £.lO for information that would lead to the conviction of the person who shot the white heron now in Canterbury Museum.

Mr L. A. Shand said that £lO was not sufficient, and Mr Stead agreed to increase the sum to £2O, saying that ho was willing to make the award almost anything if by doing that the society protected the whito herons and other native birds; ho would make it £SO if necessary. The motion was seconded by Mr Shand and carried. Mr Stead said that blue herons were being destroyed at a colony of that species near Kaikoura. He had been told that they were ill-used by fishermen, and that one fisherman used the bodies of several of them as bait for crayfish. It was decided to offer a reward of £o for information leading to the conviction of persons who interfere with blue herons,<>and to ask the Blenheim Acclimatisation Society to co-operate in protecting these birds. It was also decided to offer the same sum in connection with tho destruction of a Canadian goose in Canterbury, _ and in connection with interference with any protected native birds..