240 Chisholm, Bird Pvoiection in Queensland. \l 



Emu 

 April 



the children (mostly of the metropolitan area) through lectures 

 on Bird Day. The morning proceedings at the Exhibition Hall 

 on that day [vide Brisbane Telegraph) " came to an abrupt con- 

 clusion amidst considerable excitement and alarm, occasioned by 

 the unfortunate bursting of a tube of the lantern which was being 

 used to project specially prepared shdes on the screen. The 

 demonstration was attended by about 1,700 senior scholars, 

 drawn from eleven metropolitan schools. . . Mr. Chisholm 

 had only just commenced to lecture when there was a small 

 explosion, followed by a sudden outburst of flame, which startled 

 the whole of the large juvenile audience. The doors were at once 

 thrown open, and most of the children made a hasty but fairly 

 orderly exit." 



The cause of the birds has also found champions in the State 

 Parliament, on both sides of the House. Speaking on the 

 Education estimates on 26th November, Mr. Donald Gunn 

 (Liberal) said he wished to draw attention to the destruction of 

 native birds. Some of the most beautiful birds of all classes and 

 descriptions were to be found in Queensland. It would be well 

 if the Education Department showed the youth of Australia the 

 value of the bird life in Queensland. If scholars were taught that 

 every bird they killed meant that they were doing some harm to 

 the country, they would probably not kill the birds. He knew 

 that the Education Department was doing something in the 

 direction of teaching children their duty with regard to native 

 birds, and he hoped that they would do a lot more, and that every 

 member of Parliament would tell the children of his district that 

 it was wrong to kill native birds. 



Mr. F. M. Forde (Labour member for Rockhampton) endorsed 

 Mr. Gunn's remarks with regard to bird-protection, and went 

 further by speaking at some length on the subject when the 

 agricultural estimates were being debated three days later. Mr. 

 Forde said the protection of native birds was a matter of greater 

 importance to Queensland than was generally conceded. He 

 regretted that the Act as now administered was not of as much 

 use as it would be if more rigidly enforced. He had consulted 

 ornithologists on the question, and he was assured that while this 

 State had a good Bird Protection Act there was still much destruc- 

 tion going on. The Secretary for Agriculture, in reply to a 

 question he had put to him a few days ago, informed him that 

 there were fifty-two Crown land areas and nineteen privately- 

 owned areas proclaimed as sanctuaries for native birds. That 

 latter number should be vastly increased. If land-owners generally 

 were clear-sighted enough to apply to the Department for the 

 reservation of their properties, that could easily be done, and they 

 would be doing a beneficial act for Queensland. Perhaps it would 

 be only after they had had the same bitter experience as other 

 countries — after all their valuable birds had been destroyed — 

 that they would realize their great value. He would suggest to 

 the Minister that he secure the services of an honorary ornith- 



