COURSING AND TRAPSHOOTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18512, 24 March 1922, Page 3

COURSING AND TRAPSHOOTING.

SPORTS CONDEMNED. The practice of coursing hares in enclosures ami of shooting birds from traps was the subject of an address by the Rev. W. Saunders, of Dunedin, at a recent meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations in Christchurch (says the Press). Mr Saunders said that he would like to protest against the cruel practice of shooting pigeons and sparrows from traps, and huntin'’ hares in enclosures. Unfortunately, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had so far been unable to stop the practice. On the invitation of a coursing club in Dunedin, the speaker had been one of those allowed to witness a coursing match. He saw a little hare liberated and chased by two greyhounds, with no chance of ©scape. A number of other hares were liberated, but in very few cases were they able to escape. The animals were prevented from seeking any shelter because they were forced to keep iu the open, where there was no sign of a bush. It was only the dogs which joined in the actual sport, the men simply looking on with great interest because, no doubt, they had bets on the results. He considered the sport degrading and a relic of bygone days, when bull-baiting and cock-fighting were popular sports, lie thought that candidates for Parliamentary honours should be asked to state their opinions on the practice. With regard to the so-called sport of Eigeon shooting, it had been urged that the irds were a source of annoyance to farmers. However, he had been told that the pigeons used in New Zealand for such purposes were procured from bird fanciers. The sport was inhuman, and that this fact was recognised by English people was shown by the passing of an Act rendering illegal such a practice. Similar action had been taken in Monte Carlo, and, he thought, in the United States. In some countries it was made illegal to shoot any pigeons except clay pigeons. He had been informed that it was due to a ’otter from an inspector of the Christchurch SocicHy for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that a Bill prohibiting such sport had not been passed. The letter stated that the writer had visited a shooting match in Christchurch at which he had seen that any wounded birds that fell outside the enclosure were gathered by scouts and immediately despatched. He would like the council to petition the Governor-General on the matter. Mr Saunders was thanked for his instructive address, and it was decided to leave the matter to the executive to take such action as they thought fit.