WELLINGTON ZOO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1503, 27 July 1912, Page 6

WELLINGTON ZOO.

PROPOSED APPEAL TO THE KINa At the meeting of tho Council of the. Wellington Zoological Society, held on. Thursday evening, the Eov. J. Crowes moved tho resolution Hoarding a proposed appeal to the King that wr.s published a few days ago. A discussion followed in which all tho members of tho meeting expressed approval of the proposal. But Mr. Crowes said that ono member of tho' council, who could not be present at the meeting, expressed strung disapproval, and as tho matter was ono of great importance, and had evidently been misunderstood by some- persons, it would bo well to take no vote that evening, but to allow tho matter to bo more fully t!:scusscd at tho annual niceing of liio society. That the bearings of the proposal may bo understood, tho following sttt'.i>ment' was assented to:— (1) It is generally admitted that a zoo is an important educational institution; that to a State of tho 6ize, importance, and situation of Now Zealand, it is of first-rafe importance, (2) That tho interest hold by our King, his father, and the Prince Consort, who was the husband of Queen Victoria, in the education of the people, has oxcitcd tho admiration and merited tho gcatitudo of all well-informed horest men of all classes. (3) That when chamois \rcro introduced to New 7/ea!nnd, the .liiuporor of Austria presented tho animals anil did all that he could to render t!:n tffort to introduce ■them successful.' (i) That to suggest that our King would not tako as j;reat nn interest in tho education of the p*:;,ilo i,f l-V.w Zealand as Hie Emperor of Austria took in ,their sport would be to gratuitously offer nn insult to tho sovereign head of cur Empire.

The- King's collection of animals was a g-reat attraction in tho London Zoo last year, and within, the last fen- months great alterations have binm mado in Regent s Park to provide accommodation for another great attraction, in a fine collection received from India this year. Mr. Crewes therefore sees no presumption in intimating to his Majesty that AVellington would bo pleased to seo exhibited iu our local menagerie ono or two of the rare animals received by his Majesty from Africa or from India. If tho proposed appeal be mado, it will be made in the proper way, ond not without duo respect to the prerogatives, positions, and views of all the parties concerned.