Otago Institute. 577 



required : Absolute protection of all our land-birds and most of our swim- 

 ming-birds, with the following exceptions : Shags, when found near trout- 

 streams ; harriers, when found in or near our sanctuaries ; grey ducks, 

 during the season (close season every seventh year) ; pukeko and paradise 

 ducks, when doing injury, for a limited season — say, one month — under 

 supervision of a ranger : issue of bird-shooting license to any person over 

 twenty-one years of age : limitation of total bag for the season : set apart 

 sanctuaries of swamps, river-beds, lagoons, in every county and in the 

 islands. In order to impress upon the public generally that we are actu- 

 ated by a love for our native birds as well as a desire to encourage honest, 

 clean sport, this Institute wishes to arrange a conference with the other 

 bodies interested, the conference to consist of four members from the 

 Institute, and four each from the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, 

 the Otago Gun Sportsman's Association, the Otago Branch of the New 

 Zealand Farmers' Union, the Otago Acclimatisation Society, and, if pos- 

 sible, four bona fide Catlin's or Owaka residents. That our views be laid 

 before the conference, a discussion to follow, and an earnest endeavour 

 be made to get some workable laws which will protect equally the rights 

 of the farmer, the sportsman, the bush- resident, and the bird-lover. That 

 the results of the conference be made use of in either a memorial to Go- 

 vernment or a deputation to the Minister of Lands, consisting of members 

 of the various bodies concerned. 



In speaking to this, the chairman wished his hearers to support him 

 in the preservation of pukeko and paradise ducks. Sanctuaries — say, 

 swamps, a mile or so of a river-bed here and there — ought to be instituted, 

 and any one found carrying a gun within these precincts should be pro- 

 secuted. Small lakes should certainly be made into sanctuaries, as the 

 " game-bags " frequented them with swivel guns until all bird-life was 

 destroyed. Large lakes, on account of their size, might be left to look 

 after themselves. Pigeon-shooting ought to be completely put a stop to. 



In seconding the foregoing, Dr. Benham said he believed that the 

 protection of birds was provided for by an Order in Council last May, 

 but he could not say whether an Order in Council had the same value as 

 a statutory law. 



Mr. Bathgate said he believed the Act embraced all birds, whether 

 named in the schedule or not, but if a statute was not enforced it was 

 no good its being a statute. Then came scenery, for which heavy penalties 

 'were supposed to be inflicted for fire-lighting, &c, yet fires were repeatedly 

 lit, often to the danger of timber, and no one was prosecuted. Native 

 birds were rapidly disappearing. 



The resolution was carried unanimously. 



Mr. Chisholm, as a member of the Acclimatisation Society, said they 

 had signally failed to get the Government to take adequate steps for the 

 protection of native birds, and the society was obliged to Dr. Fulton for 

 having brought up the subject. 



It was decided that matters of detail be referred to a council, to be 

 put in form prior to their presentation to the conference. 



Third Meeting : 9th July, 1907. 



The President, Dr. E. Fulton, in the chair. 



The President reported the results of the conference on 

 bird-protection. 



19— Trans. 



