PROBLEMS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 123, 14 February 1940, Page 6

PROBLEMS

NEW ZEALAND'S CONSERVATION AN AMERICAN'S COMMENTS A New Zeaiander, keenly interested in the conservation of natural resource s, particularly protective forests and wild life, recently made a tour of the United States. In conversation with an officer ot the United States Forest Service (an expert in the general field of conservation) he asked for advice about solving problems in New Zealand. "You shouldn't have problems in New Zealand,'' he replied. "Why should you? You have a population of British peopLe, closely united. You have universal education. \ou are surrounded by great expanses of ocean and therefore have no international conservation complications, except with regard tio a few species of birds which migrate to Northern Asia. It should be comparatively easy to form a very strong public opinion and public force for conimonsense. • Problems! Why, you should lead the world. You have, too, all the examples oi the blunders made in the older countries such as America. "Contrast your country with ours, with a huge population of various races, and think of our task in bring | in.g that mass of people on to the right line of policy and keeping it there. Think of our waterfowl problem for one. The geese and duck, as yen know,, breed mostly In Canada, then come winging their migratory course across the States, where Ave do our best tp limit the killing. Then largo numbers continue on their southern cou-se to Mexico and other more southern countries where bird protection is almost an unknown phrase. In some of those countries they are shot Avith a sort of baMery of guns erected on a stand. This apparatus is owned in a communal manner by villagers. It can kiii from 80 to 100 ducks at one broadside. Problems! You should have an easy job in New Zealand and I say it again, you should lead the world.' 7