HAWKE'S BAY'S KIWI

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 68, 7 April 1937, Page 5

HAWKE'S BAY'S KIWI

Question oi Removal From Strict Captivity INTEREST TO VISITORS The kiwi at the Hawke's Bay Acclimatisation Society' s farm at Greenmeadows once more claimed the deliberations of the society at a meeting held in Napier last night, when a communication on the subject from the Department of Internal Affairs was taken in committee. Since its arrival at the farm, the bird ha$ become a wellknown figure, for apart from being the only speciman that can he easily seen , in the Dominion, it has claimed a large share in the - columns of many newspapers of the conntry. The kiwi, which was brought to the society' s farm by a farmer whose dogs had worried it in the bush, has been the subject of much correspondence between the society and the Department of Internal Affairs. Following a n6tice in the Press to the effect that visitors were extremely interested in this bird, which could be seen at most times- of the day at the farm, a communication from the department stated that it was illegal to keep a native bird in captivity. The society replied acknowledging this fact, but pointing out that, by reason of its assoeiation with many visitors, the kiwi had become so tame that to releas© it now would mean that it would be killed" by dogs. They sug gested that it he placed in a sa-nctuary, and a further letter from the department requested • the society to retain custody of the bird until a decision should be arrive d at regarding its ultimate destination. Public opinion in Hawke's Bay was strongly against the removal of the bird. People pointed out that although there were kiwis in existence on Kapiti Island, it required several days of patient stalking in order to catch a glimpse of them in the more remote bush on the sanctuary. The kiwi at Greenmeadows is well looked after, and was an attraction to overseas tourists, who had often remarked that although the .kiwi had been adopted as a national emblem of Dominion and was not ex_ tinct, it was impo'ssible to see one.