ZOO OR CEMETERY?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2336, 18 December 1914, Page 6

ZOO OR CEMETERY?

CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION DISSERTATIONON FLAMINGOES< City-Councillor E. Tregear considers the Zoo at jNowtown. is no place for many of the animals and birds which are kept there, and that it has proved to be the cemetery of quite a number of interesting creatures. These views of his created a discussion at the Council table last evening—a discussion into which the question of civic patriotism was imported—aud Councillor Trcgcar was heavily outvoted. It was moved at the meeting that the proposal of tho Wellington Zoologi(dd Society to buy six flaiuingces from Adelaide for the Zoo (the cost to be shared between the society and the council) should be agreed to. Councillor Tregear rose in opposition to the idea because thai; "cold, miserable place" wa3 unsuitable for tropical birds, and,' therefore, titie "hearts of tho people must bleed for the sake of the poor creatures which have been put up there in order that the place might be called a zoo." If there was compiled a. return showing how many icmate3 of the Zoo had come by their demise there, the figures would astonish tho public. Councillor A. H. Hindmarsn said that he had been told that the death-rate here was less than in the London Zoo, and tha't the animals were healthy. ' Councillor M. F.. Luckie disagreed with Councillor Tregear. He mentioned that an. Australian "authority had_ said that we could not have a more suitable spot than that on which our Zoo was situated. Councillor J. Fuller: If these flamingoes were lions, I should strongly object, as we councillors who sit around this table know that j that Zoo is costing far too much. Voices: Nonsense I Councillor Fuller: Yes, that is a fact. Councillor R. Fletcher complimented the chairman of the committee (Councillor G. Frost) under whose management the Zoo is conducted, saying that they had reduced the cost of the institution, and had improved it and made it more attractive than ever it was. Councillor Tregear had, he said, gone out ol his way to cast a slur on. a city institution. Councillor L. M'Kenzio characterised Councillor Tregear's remarks as a wild and incorrect assertion. He added that some Wellington public men had a-fac-ulty for crying stinking fish regarding civio undertakings. . Councillor G. Frost also objected to Councillor Tregear's remarks. The Mayor added a few words in praise of the Zoo, and the suitability of the site for its purpose; and the motion to obtain, the flamingoes was then carried. :