LIVE PIGEON-SHOOTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18189, 7 September 1922, Page 8

LIVE PIGEON-SHOOTING.

PROPOSED PROHIBITION.

COUNCIL PASSES BILL,

AN UNAVAILING PROTEST.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER-]

WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Legislative Council to-day passed the Animals'* Protection and Game Bill, which had been introduced by the Hon. G. M, Thomson with the object of prohibiting the trap shooting of live pigeons. The Hon. W. E. Collins moved that tho third reading should be postponed for si* months, but his motion was defeated, tho only members who voted for it being Sir James Carroll, Sir William Fraser, the Hon. A. F. Hawke and the mover. Dr. Collins told the Council that if it passed the Bill it would be taking the first step toward the prohibition of all field sports and shooting. There was no more cruelty in shooting a pigeon from a trap than in shooting a bird in the open v A snort of considerable importance was threatened. For example, there was the Wanganui Gun Club, which during the war had raised more than £1600 for tho benefit of soldiers. Mr. Thomson said his Bill had caused consternation among the followers of the sport. He wished to apologise to them, and at the same time to tell them that his views about pigeon shooting had not changed. Ho quoted a resolution by an Australian gun club to substitute clay pigeons for livo birds, on the ground that greater skill was required for the shooting of clay pigeons. The Hon. J. B. Gow deprecated the shooting of tame birds, which regarded men as their friends and protectors. The question "to be considered, he said, was not the effect on the birds, but the effect upon those who followed the sport. He supported the Bill.