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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3159, 12 August 1881, Page 2

Another blunder has come to light in our laws—those models of wisdom so much admired by Captain Russell. Mr Seymour, the other day, asked the Premier to amend the " Protection of Animals Ac?, 1880," so as to provide a penalty for shooting native game, or else to repeal clause 17 of the said Act. Pie said that, apparently, by some inadvertence there was no penalty imposed in the consolidated Act ol 1880 for shooting native game, nor did there appear to be a penalty in any of the various Acts which the measure consolidated. Under these circumstances the provisions which prohibited tho shootio™ of native game in certain seasons of the year was inoperative, and therefore be asked the Government whether they would either provide a penalty or else repeal the clause. Mr Dick replied that the omission to provide a penalty for shooting native game was an oversight, and the Government would, if the course of public business allowed, bring in during the session an amending bill to remedy the difficulty. It will thus be seen that until the law is amended any one can shoot wild duck?, pigeons, and other native game at all seasons of the year.