NEW ZEALAND GAME LAWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND GAME LAWS.

A NEW BILL. IMPORTANT PROVISIONS. (FBOM OUE OxTX COKEESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, August 22. The Animals Protection Bill has been introduced by Sir Joseph Ward with a view lo consolidating the law for the protection of animals and for the encouragement of acclimatisation societies. The season for killing native and imported game, except deer and god wits, is to begin on Slay 1 and close on July 31j but on the -nrfUen application of a duly registered acclimatisation society the season may be further restricted or closed altogether. The game season for deer is to be prescribed from time to time by the Governor-in-Councii. An important paragraph provides that no person shall take or kill any game, or native game, between ihe hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. The Governor may notify in which part of a district game is not to be killed. No game must be poisoned, or trapped, or taken, or killed ■without a license taken out in accordance vilh the act. The penalty for taking game without a license is a fine not exceeding £20. The iicense fee is to be £1. Anyone wishing to sell game must take out a license, the fee payable for such license being £5, and no game-selling license is to be issued to anyone under the age of 16 years. Anyone killing a hen pheasant tjill be liable to a Cap not exceeding £$._

There is a similar penalty for taking or destroying the eggs of game birds. The fee for killing native game is not to exceed ss, but aboriginal Natives killing game not for sale need not take out a license. Persons may kill native game on their own land without a license. Sons of landowners may do likewise. The year 1907, and e\ory third year thereafter, is to be a close season for game (other than deer) and for native game. The season for killing godwits is February, March, and April. Game and nathe game must not be sold out of season, nor held in possession for longer than seven days after the game season, under a penalty not exceeding £20. Game must not be exported from the colony without the written consent of the Colonial Secretary. Swivel guns arc not to be used in the taking of game, neither shall guns of larger bore than No. 10, or guns exceding 101b in weight, be so used. A trespasser in pursuit of game on private lands is^Jiable to a fine not exceeding £5. No animal, bird, insect, or reptile is to be introduced without the consent of the Minister of Agriculture. Penalties are provided for landing snakes, scorpions, or other noxious reptiles, or for introducing or liberating any fox, venomous reptile, hawk, vulture, or other bird of prey not indigenous to the colony. Rangers are to have the powers of constables, and there is a penalty for assaulting- or obstructing a ranger. Provision is made for the registration of acclimatisation societies.

The first schedule defines " game " as follows: — Pheasants, partridges, grouse, black game, ptarmigan, quail, snipe, plover, swans, hares, antelope, deer, imported wild duck of any species. The second schedule defines "native game" as follows: — Wild duck of any species, pied stilt plover, pukcko, wild geese, dottercll, native pigeon, black swan, teal, black stilt plover, curlew, kaka. The birds and animals to be protected aie as follow : —Birds — Bellbird or mocker (makomako — Anthornis melanura), bittern (Botaurus poeciloptiius), crow (kokako — Glaucopis), blue or mountain duck (whio — Hymenoloemus malacorhynchus), crested grebo (Podicipes cristotus), white heron (kotuku— Herodias timoriensis), huia (Heteralocha acutirosris), kiwi (apteryx), morcpork (ruru— Ninox Novae Zealandise), ground parrot (kakapo — Stringops habroptilus), saddleback (tieke- -Crcadion caruncu•latus), stitchbird ihi— Pogonornis cincta), parson bird (tvi — Prosthemadera Novae Zealandise). Animals— Opossum (Phalangista). wallaby (Halmaturus).