IMPORTATION OF BIRDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21505, 31 May 1933, Page 13

IMPORTATION OF BIRDS

STRINGENT REGULATIONS r COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN f STRICT LIMIT IMPOSED Under the new and more stringent regulations governing the importation into New Zealand of birds, England and Australia are now the only countries from which birds other than domestic birds may be brought into the Dominion. Even then strict control is to be exercised. '

Under the Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921-22, and regulations, it is necessary to obtain authority from the Minister of Internal Affairs before birds other than domestic birds may be imported. In the interests of the poultry industry and the health of birds kept in captivity, as well as of birds in their natural state, the Government has recently reconsidered the question whether the present safeguards are adequate. , ,

According to a statement made in Christchurch by the Minister, the Hon. J. A. Young, it has been decided that in cases where authority is granted for importation, the conditions must in future be made more stringent. Authorities will, accordingly, be allowed only in the case of birds imported from Australia (with the exception of States not declared free of Newcastle disease for six months), and from England. Declarations Required "The birds must in every case be accompanied by a declaration that they have been in the country of export for a period of six months and have hot been affected by or in contact with any disease, together with a certificate of health from a Government olHcer appointed to give certificates," said the Minister. "Inspection on arrival in New Zealand will also be insisted on as in the past. Persons desirous of obtaining permission to import birds other than domestic must give the Department of Internal Affairs notice at least three weeks before the date on which the permit is required. Permits should be in hand before orders are placed and arrangments made for shipment." "It does not affect us," said Mr. F. E. McKenzie, president of the AuckAcclimatisation Society, when the new regulations were referred to him yesterday. He explained that this year all that the society proposed to import was a dozen cock pheasants from England to improve the existing stock. "We are not going to import any more chukor," he said, "but our game breeders will endeavour to rear them from stock already reared in New Zealand. Breeding Chukor Locally "There are a few local birds, and we will endeavour to get a few more from Canterbury. With this stock of acclimatised birds our breeders will make an attempt to establish the chukor in our hill country. A hen chukor lays up to 80 or even 90 eggs in a year if they are taken away as laid; and therefore a breeder with four or five birds can soon get sufficient stock to breed on a large scale." When the matter was referred to the president of the Auckland Avicultural Society, Mr. G. Itowland Hutchinson, he said he was not in a position to comment until he had seen the actual regulations, which did not appear to ha\e reached Auckland yet. His society was the largest importer of foreign birds in New Zealand, and it obtained its birds from many different countries of the world. Obviously any such restrictions as indicated in reports of the Minister's remarks would make the greatest difference to the operations of the society.

The new regulations appear to be the outcome of the concern of the Department of Internal Affairs over some outbreaks of disease overseas.