The Globe. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 28, 2 July 1874, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

The Acclimatisation Society held their meeting on Tuesday afternoon, audit appears from the report of the proceedings that the Society had nothing whatever to do with the unfortunate deer, and that moreover they had distinctly refused to have anything to do with their capture. Mr Marshman moved that the resolution in which they had stated this fact, should be published, and we are glad he did so, as it will relieve the members from the imputation of having been concerned in the deer hunt, which took place a few days ago. The animals appear, from what was stated at the meeting, to have been the joint property of Mr Caverhill and the Curator, and these gentlemen (and through them the colony) are the losers through the unfortunate attempts to capture the deer last week. It also seems that the wallaby and kangaroo, now running in the Domain, are private property, and one member suggested that the public would shew their interest in the welfare of the animals remaining if they subscribed, and provided for their being turned out on the plains or elsewhere. We have no manner of doubt that the animals in question would bo eagerly bought, if not by subscription, by Borne of our wealthy squatters, and the only condition would be that the wallabies should be delivered at some spot Bafe and sound. It is surely within the resources of genius to capture the few remaining specimens in the Domain without slaughtering them all, and the services of some Australian bushman might be paid for to attain such a desinble result. It is evident if these animals are to bo of any service, sbat their capture must be effected, as

otherwise we shall be in the position of merely being possessed of a few specimens of the class in question, which are retained to be looked at, and to satisfy the curiosity of visitors to the gardens and Domain. Sir Cracroft Wilson also called the attention of the meeting (as he had previously done that of the Council) to the fact of a hen pheasant having been exposed for sale in a butcher's shop in the town, and it was determined to call the attention of the police to the fact. Ho doubt the fact of exposing the bird in question wili come before the Court, but the members of the Society must bo aware that there is hardly one steamer coming down from Auckland or Nelson that does not bring a large quantity of pheasants for this market. Not long ago a brace of pheasants in good condition were offered to a gentleman in the town for eight shillings, rather less than the average price of the same birds would be in England, and this after having to pay freight all the way from the North. If the birds are so plentiful in the two provinces we have mentioned that they can be retailed at the price wo mention, we do not wonder at hen birds, as well as cocks, being sent down to this town. A very large portion of the general public of Canterbury watch the proceedings and reports of the Acclimatisation Society with the greatest interest, and nothing will be more likely to strengthen the hands of that body than a resolution to do all they can to prevent the laws for the preservation of imported animals being broken. We wish them every success* in their efforts.