CRUELTY OF FASHION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13728, 18 August 1908, Page 3

CRUELTY OF FASHION.

SAVE THE BIRDS! I

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, Mr Deakin, recently received a representative deputation interested in preventing the destruction of bir<J life in Australia and New Guinea, and anxious to support Lord Avebury's Bill. Some statistics were given of the enormous destruction that was proceeding, and the danger not only to the maintenance of the species in Australia, but the extermination of birds that wore enemies of forms of life which were a constant source of peril and loss to farmers, graziers and fruitgrowers. It was stated that in 1907 there were catalogued at the auction rooms in London 28,300 skins of birds of paradise, and the nesting plumes of 190,000 egrets, besides an .immense number of every known species of ornamentally plumaged birds. A deplorable feature was the large number of lyre bird tails, and goobra pigeon crests, and kingfisher's skill's. One firm alone offered at auction a.0,000 kingfishers' skins and 1386 New Guinea pigeon crests. The laughing jackass was also being destroyed in large numbers. One of tho speakers, referring to the ibis, said on one station alone, Perracoota, New South Wales, the manager stated that the minimum number of birds was 200,000 breeding. The contents of the average crop of an adult bird realised 'JilO young grasshoppers, five fresh- j water snails, several caterpillars,! which, multiplied by 200,000 birds, would total 482,000,000 grasshoppers , as well as myriads of grass-destroying caterpillars and river-fluke pests (.snails). Mr Dcakiu, in his reply, said it was not w ithin the powers of the Common wcaltli Government to legislate in regard to animal or bird life. That was a matter for the States, and he hoped that the deputation would use its influence with the State Governments to enforce the existing laws, and strengthen their administration. It was, however, the other sex which really controlled this question. If their womanly i>ity was directed to the abominable sacrifice of animal life for tbe 'purpose of purely decorative display, the problem might also be solved. Women themselves could accomplish in Australia what the law wab powerless to do in the way of reform for many years to coiur. Whatever, however, was within the power of the Federal Government to do. it would do without delay. He had, however, asked the At-torney-General to draft a. measure to submit to Parliament next month to prohibit the exportation as well as the importation. "While I am not able to say, as I should like to say," added Mr Deakin, "tho murder of these birds will cease all over the Commonwealth and Papua, this I can say : that as far as in our power lies it will be restricted, and restricted to the utmost of our power. Ido not think the State Governments need to be reminded of the risk^ which tljoy &.re running iv depleting the birds, that are the natural enemies* of forms of life dangerous to their people's interests." , ,