WILD LIFE CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23084, 8 July 1938, Page 14

WILD LIFE CONTROL

Sir, —In Monday's • Herald YBlunder" takes me up wronglv, for 1 am in complete agreement with the spirit of his assertion that "a bird in the bush is worth a seqre or more in the showcase." He appears to be harking back to the . recent controversy wherein the names of Edgar Stead and R A. Falla were bandied about, so let me, in .passing, give it as my P® r "- sonal opinion that if these two gentlemen were invested with the full control ol wild life (protection, capturing, killing, importation, liberation, etc.) in New Zealand and were given an adequate staff, the native fauna would lie ten times better off than they have been for many years past. Does "Y Blunder" know how prevalent is the killing of native birds b> k amateur skin collectors? Does he know that the banning of live specimens fromthe public gaze is bolstering up a» extensive market for skins? Does ne appreciate the fact that a lad with a gun in his hand will bring down any _ strange animal in order to get a ' close up" and satisfv his curiosity? In your•report of June" 24 of a meeting of. the. Zoological Society appear the words, v. "It seems quite impossible to know u \ the tui, the hellbird. the parakeet and tlie kaka at close quarters and it appears unfair that the average New /sealander has to gain knowledge of In* native birds from illustrations or froni stuffed specimens." Has "Y. Blunder considered that aspect of the case and ! has he heard those of our overseas I visitors who are tempted by llmstTfl 1 tions on our postage stamps and Christ- | mas numbers to conic here express ! their disappointment and disgust ■when ! they fail to see the real thing? Has j lie anv conception of what is going on i as a liatunl consequence? Let him iook i at. the consequences of total' prohiojj tion of another kind in the U.S.A. for I inspiration. 1 wonder if "Y. Blunder" knows anyi thing of the activities of the manv i earnest men in hush settlements and elsewhere who, knowing where the fault lies risk persecution by keeping native birds as pets and who encourage their own children and others to feed, fondle and love them, as others do with budgies, and thereby do more than nil the pamphlets, rangers and Police . Courts can possibly accomplish m savI ing our birds. However, I do not "isn i swords with "Y. Blunder ,) . r j those who think with him. for we obviI ouslv have the same objective in view, i l commend to thetn these words trom 1 your leader ol June lo—"It .deserves a wider and less personal ventilation thn . it scents in danger of getting. .■•fain. "The undoubtedly good ainis t'),,', li.._risl:ition and the difficulties administering it with adequate enr for hoth scientific m>ed and the to-ti • i„,r of a lo\e of birds." and. further , down. "There is much to learn. ..on i : times the law defeats itself. •\ bad business and needs tackling Ui„. rottls. Will it