EDITORIALS

Southland Times, Issue 22915, 13 June 1936, Page 21 (Supplement)

EDITORIALS

PROTECTING BUSH AND NATIVE BIRDS. The people of New Zealand have a rich heritage in the magnificent bush which clothes so many hillsides and in the charming and interesting native birds which inhabit the bush. Every care should be taken both by young and old to see that this heritage is preserved. The greatest danger to bush is fire. An American writer once said: “A tree can make a million matches, but a match can destroy a million trees.” It is quite true that a match flung carelessly on dry grass or other inflammable vegetation may cause a fire which will destroy a whole forest. In the same way a picnic party which lights a fire in the bush and fails to put it out before leaving may be responsible for damage that can never be repaired. In State forests such as that in the Eglinton Valley there are notices saying that it is a breach of the law to light a fire in the bush; but many people ignore this warning. If picnic parties want to “boil the billy” they should make a fire well away from trees and should take the greatest care in seeing that it is properly put out, for if a wind springs up it may carry a spark into a rotting tree and start a serious bush fire. Boys and girls can help greatly in preventing this danger to our beautiful forests, for it is often the younger members of a party who are given the task of lighting a fire at picnics or on camping expeditions. Every boy and girl should also be a protector of our native birds. At the annual meeting of the Southland Acclimatization Society it was mentioned that a large number of native birds were killed each year by men and boys with rifles and guns. This is a serious offence, but it is not always easy to detect the culprits. It should not, however, require the law to prevent the destruction of such charming native birds as the tui, the wood pigeon and the parrakeet, or those friendly little fellows the robin and the tom-tit. There can be no sport in shooting such attractive, gay and guileless birds as these. Already their numbers have been greatly reduced through ruthless slaughter. It is pleasing to know that in Invercargill there are a number of people who are so interested in native birds that throughout the winter months they regularly put out supplies of food for them. Tuis and bell-birds are great honey eaters, and will feed fearlessly on lawns or gardens in which honey or some other sweet substance is put out for them. In the northern part of the city there is a kaka which is fed on honey handed to it on the end of a stick. No boy or girl need be ashamed of a love for native birds; but there is good reason to feel ashamed if through cruelty or thoughtlessness birds are killed. A love of Nature will make motor trips, camping holidays and picnics much more interesting and enjoyable; and a study of botany and bird life will amply repay the time spent in acquiring knowledge.