COLONEL WHITMORE ON SUNDAY SHOOTING.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 39, 30 September 1867, Page 242

COLONEL WHITMORE ON SUNDAY SHOOTING.

The opinions entertained on Sabbath observance by the Hon. Colonel Whitmore may be gathered from the following report, which we clip from the New Zealand Times of the I9th instant. It is well for the interests of public order that his views were not affirmed by the Council.

“In Committee on the Protection of Animals Act, yesterday, the Hon. Colonel Whitmore objected to the clause forbidding shooting on Sundays, and, in proposing the omission of the words, he stated that in his part of the country the only legitimate duck shooting done, was done on Sunday, and he thought that poor men engaged in work all the week were better engaged in shooting on Sundays than in hanging round public houses. The Hon. Mr Menzies poiuted out that apart from the Bill altogether, shooting on Sunday was unlawful, but Colonel Whitmore expressed a doubt as to the statement, stating that he did so on high legal authority. Mr Mantell said he would be gla4 to see a spe cial provision introduced, making it lawful to shoot on Sunday, and that if a close day in the week was necessary, some other day then Sunday should be chosen, lie admitted that a large class of the commu nity objected to such a thing, but thought that the time was approaching when the scruples of one class should no longer be allowed to bind the consciences of another class, and he went on to speuk of whole sale destruction of birds in an embryo state, by eggs being cooked on a Sunday without any scruple, after being put by a piou3 cook into a pious pot, and cooked on a religious fire. At the s-une time lie should not like to do anything which would do violence to the feelings ot others Colonel Kenny, Colonel Peacocke, Mi Acland, atid others, strongly objected to legalising Sunday shooting. The Counci divided 'on Colonel Whitmore’s amendment, wheu it was negatived by 9 to 3. Mr Mantell afterwards, while disclaiming all intention of bringing religious subjects into ridicule, proposed to add after the word Sunday, the words e or on Christina Day, Good Friday, or on any of the Saints’ day 9 recognised by the Church of England.’ On being reminded that neither Christmas Day nor Good Friday could well fall within the open months, he withdrew the first part of the amendment, and, subsequently, after some remarks' from Colonel Kenny, he explained that last Good Friday, there had been a regular battue in all the woods around ; but in de ference to the wishes of the Council, he withd-ew his proposal. Major Richardson' opposed the clause altogether, as introducing the principle of enforcing the observance of the Sabbath by legislation, a thing which he thought should be left to every man’s conscience, and on which legislation would do more harm than good. The clause was carried on the voices.”