THE KEA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 7

THE KEA.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—A recent issue of the Otago Daily Tunes gave publicity to a remit from tUe -bake County Council urging the Minister of Internal Affairs . (Mr de la Jrerrelle) to continue to subsidise the destruction of the kea. Just recently a deputation approached the Minister urg■mg that , the subsidy be not continued,, and at that meeting one member of the deputation stated that about. 10J) only of the New Zealand flockmasters were affected. Crant as a starting point that double this number are interested, and grant for argument’s sake that keas do an appreciable amount of damage to flocks in jr , country, and that the destruction of them on high country runs is desirable, then bird lovers say that the destruction of them in all the land is not only unnecessary but is a wanton slaughter almost amounting to sacrilege. The lioekowners affected may destroy ail birds on their runs and no suggestion has been made that protection against that is desir.e.d* We merely, ask that the bonus Pi al ? ~r , ?e a heaks be discontinued, and that the Government be not asked to subsidise the work of destruction. The Department of Internal Affaire might ihst as well pay for the clearing out of goats 011 many of the Lake holdings, pay for rabbit poisoning, for the cutting of gorse and broom or the clearing of ragwort and thistle,, or even for the protection ■ ot the Christmas goose against the at- ■ tacks of ferrets and stoats. The cry for : the discontinuance of the subsidy on the : destruction of keas is certainly heard in '■ the north, but it is an echo only of the voice of the south that the ken be protected only in so much that further payments for its destruction be no longer made to flockowners of the Lakes country or any other country. A great scientist who visited our shores a few years ago was’ amazed at our indifference towards the well being of our unique flora, and he writes; “Man can create nothing, therefore he should not destroy, the loss of any wild form is an irreparable calamity because it is a loss for ever,” Let us not destroy the kea but let us check its mischievious propensities where checking is necessary, and that without bawling for a paternal Government’s assistance as 'against an invading army. I hazard the opinion that the presence of an undue number of keas on any one station is a sign of indifference on the part; of the owner, and on his head be the cost. —I am, etc.< Kea fob Ever.