PIGEON SHOOTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3588, 31 March 1886, Page 3

PIGEON SHOOTING.

TO Till! EDITOR OF THE TIMAUU 11F.1UJ.D. Silt, — I was glad to So m yoisr issue of tho 27th, a protect by "Humanity" against, pigeon shootiiij, though I tliink il is a pity that ho did not eco fit to back his opinion with lu3 name Up to Mia present New Zealand has been comparatively fiee of tills degrading sport, ami I should be very sorry to see m this country thu disgusting exhibition ono fees nt Home nnd on the Continent at fashionable pigeon matches. I Lad the misfortune, to be at Monaco during the international pigeon matches which extend over several days, and at which several thousands of pigeons are. slaughtered, and I nm not likely to forget it. 'Jl lie roofs of the housed m tlie town were literally covered with birds dead or dying, and as you walked along the street they beep rolling! off theroofsatyour feet, as the poor things died of t-lisir wounds, nnd you saw men and boys chasing wounded ones from place to place with ft ieks endeavouring to knock them over and kill them. That i< what we may come to if steps are not taken m time to wako such exhibitions illegal. Before public histe gets degraded it would be far better to legislate, on behalf of the pigeons if not on behalf of the men as, though injurious to the birds, it mnet bo much more so to those who shoot them. It has got into a trite saying that you cannot mako a nation moral by laws, but a greater law wa3 never coined, or rather a good saying never more twisted from its true meaning, as all g.iod laws are- tbo outcome of men who nio either already moral or else wish to be so and to fee their fellowmen the same ; and the law being passed shows that the nation h ready ami willing to become more moral. I trust that some of our members may bo induced to bring it beforo Parliament next session and test tlio feeling of the country on the matter. I should be happy to help forward m uny way a movement for the suppression of this cruelly ere- it gets a firm hold m the country. I am, &c, W. K. Bahkee. Wnikonim, Eangitata.