HISTORICAL RECORD 23 



failed to achieve the purpose for which they were introduced, and 

 took to destroying things which it was desirable should be preserved. 

 Legislation had to be resorted to in order to destroy some introduced 

 things and to protect others. Noxious Weeds Act, Animal Protection 

 Acts, Injurious Birds Acts, and so on, have been passed into law, 

 together with countless Regulations and Orders in Council dealing 

 with the same subject in its multifarious aspects. By way of com- 

 mentary and satire on the whole business, the Government in 

 many cases is itself the chief offender against the laws of its own 

 making. 



At the close of nearly 150 years since Cook first visited these 

 shores, the country has not yet realised the necessity of a scientific 

 treatment of the whole question of naturalisation. Species are still 

 being introduced. In nearly every case now it is claimed that this 

 is done for beneficent purposes, but the same argument justified the 

 early settlers who introduced insectivorous birds to eat up the cater- 

 pillars which were destroying their grain crops, no doubt also the 

 sheep farmers who helped to bring in stoats and weasels to enable 

 them to grow wool and mutton, instead of rabbits. There is still no 

 general principle underlying the work, and not sufficient knowledge 

 of the possibilities of each problem. 



