Live Pigeon Shooting

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1922, Page 4

Live Pigeon Shooting

MOVEMENT TO PROHIBIT IT

DUNEDIN, April 5

Practically all the business of the meeting of‘the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Annuals was in connexion with the Society’s effort to have live pigeon shooting prohibited. Sir George Fenwick presided. A letter was received from the Go-vetrnor-Gcnerall’s secretary, stating that, his Excellency would put the Society’s motion regarding the shooting of captive pigeons before his responsible Ministers. The secretary of the SP.C.A., Canterbury, wrote stating that his Society was in favour of the total abolition of the so-called sports of coursing and pigeon shooting, and lie enclosed copies of" correspondence to the Minister of Internal Affairs and various S.P.C.A.’s throughout the Dominion. The letter went on to say that the alleged letter from the Canterbury inspector produced bv the Gun Club representatives was evidently a mutilated copy of ti report made by the inspector at a meeting of the committee held on August 19th., 1919, on a pigeon shooting match at gockburn. The letter further stated that it was unfortunate tha no member of the Society was present when evidence was taken before the Statutes Revision Committee, or the statement would have been repudiated. The letter concluded by stating that the Canterbury Society did not intend to let the matter drop. The Minister of Internal Affairs sent a copy of the Animals Protection and Game Act, and referred the Society to a paragraph which stated that the Act did not give his Excellency the Governor-General power to prohibit the shooting or killing of pigeons or other birds released from any trap. It was decided to write to the leaders of the Labour Party, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr C. E. Statham, M.P., and the Prime Minister, asking that something he done with regard to prohibiting the shooting of captive pigeons.