REFUSED TO LIFT THE BAN

NZ Truth, Issue 1263, 13 February 1930, Page 8

REFUSED TO LIFT THE BAN

Arbitrary Action of Government Towards London Zoo '

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

Little or no fault can be found "with the New Zealand Government's general ban- on the export of native birds, but when it refuses to make an exception m favor of a body which is worthy of receiving every assistance m its efforts to extend the knowledge of science and iv.crease the interest of a vast body of people, then the ban , is being too stringently enforced.

"THE Zoological Society of London] 1 applied some time ago for permission to obtain examples of Dominion birds, such as the tui, weka, kakapo and kea, but was informed that the N.Z. Government would not grant its request. In the course of a year, the number of people who pass turnstiles of the Society's gardens m: Repents I Pai'k exceeds the whole population of New Zealand by several hundred per cent. Almost without exception, the countries of the world have contributed specimens' of their fauna arid bird life, which specimens are .exhibited to the public m surroundings as nearly, identical with the physical conditions of their native land as possible, taking into consideration limitations of space and climatic conditions. In return, these lands, of origin receive a considerable amount of free advertisement from the exhibition of their native animals and ' birds and at the same time all information and data obtained by the highly trained scientists and obI servers who are members of the

Zoological Society is at the service of the agricultural and other departments of the countries concerned. This may not seem- on the face of it a very convincing argunient as to why the powers that be m this Dominion should relax their prohibition m favor of the Society, but it is a well-known fact that much valuable information on agricultural and afforestation matters has been obtained from close observation of the habits of birds. No possible means of advertising the country must be neglected, however indirect they may appear. \ No ban is placed on zoos run by local bodies acquiring specimens of the Dominion's bird life, nor. are they prevented from importing any animals they wish, or have room . for, from other countries. Indeed, they are not bound by. the usual quarantine regulations,, but are permitted to isolate such importations m specially set-aside portions of their own grounds. There is, however, no reciprocal policy. •■••.. v *< - -■''.'■ ■■