NOTES BY THE PRESIDENT

Forest and Bird, Issue 139, 1 February 1961, Page 10

NOTES BY THE PRESIDENT

New Poster Early this year a new poster showing three native birds (bellbird, tomtit, and fantail) against a background of native bush will be issued by the Society. The poster, in numerous colours, is being prepared in the Railway Advertising Studios by the artist, Mr. M. Poulton, and copies will be placed on all the important railway stations. The theme will be “Protect your native birds and forest”, and with the assistance of the Minister of Internal Affairs and the cooperation of the Department of Education a copy will be supplied to every school in the Dominion. New Parliament Parliamentary Government is the best, form of. Government known to mankind. Political parties come and go, but Parliament remains. Like storms which pass in the night, all Governments do some good, but somelike storms—go to excess and irreparable damage may be done. Insomuch that our national parks and reserves belong to all the people for all time; in speaking before a Select Committee .of the . House recently, I said that no decision to interfere with their sanctity should ever be made until all the representatives of the people assembled as Parliament had had an opportunity of debating the proposals. These notes are going to the Editor the day after the elections, and to me it is significant that the members of the House who spoke fearlessly in supporting our views when the Manapouri proposals were discussed, all appear to have increased their majorities substantially. I do not pretend that this was due to their support of our views, but I am confident that the people do recognise and appreciate the calibre of men who stand firm when their rights or possessions are in jeopardy.