NATURE AND MAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 367, 31 October 1932, Page 2

NATURE AND MAN

Leo

Farming. 1

CALL FOR VIsiON \ ... • f

NATIONAL .CONSCIOUSNESS OF DOMINION'S' ASSETS. GOVERNOR'S LEAD. -

(By

When people are beset by diffieulties such as lack of work, shortage of money, uncertain markets and tbe weird ways of the wide world, they are not usually inclined to take a loiig view of their country's future. Many persons are downhearted, ■ at present, ■about New Zealand's prospects, but this country will be all right if the people are mindful of. what Nature has done for them here — and if they avoid repeating the past mistakes against Nature— the wild play of axe and fire on steep watersheds. Nature is always willing to be a benefactor of man, when he behaves, but she is a pitiless punish.er of folly. Lord Bledisloe's Lead. During re.eent years nobody has done more than Lord Bledisloe to impress New Zealand on New Zealanders. He has/ shown a wide and farreaching vision for this country on a national ine whieh should he an inspiration for the whole of the public. Historic events of the early days -of eolonisation, the native forests, the rivers, lakes and mountains have all come within his survey, and nohly he has spoken for them. The gift of Lady Bledisloe and himself — the great estate by the Bay of Islands where the first missionary landed and where British sovereignty was proclaimed — has heen warmly praised. One editorial writer has rightly referred to the importance of that gift in helping to form a "national consciousness" here — ^that broad and- deep sense of country which inspires writers, artists and musicians. His Excellency's example should do enduring good, immeasurable good.

Siense of Country. The British Isles are still "Home" for a great many residents of New Zealand — even for the grandchildren of pioneers. Time was when Northern Germany was "Home" for the Angles, Saxons and Jutes who drove the old-time Britons into Wales and Cornwall. Normandy was "Home" to the Normans for many years after the Battle of Hastings, and long before Wiiliam the Conqueror set out on his great adventure Scandinavia was "Home" to his ancestors, the fierce Norsemen. One does not wish to disturo the sentiment of "Home" in the relation of New Zealand to the Mother Country, but it is true that a growth of the sense of country here and in other Dominions will make for strength, not weakness, in the British Commonwealth of Nation s. "Sense of Country!" What does it mean ? It includes the sense of history, the memory of aneestry, but it has its physieal side as well — Nature and the works of man in alliance with Nature — his fields and his homes. New Zealand's forests and birds must have their place in the making of that strong "national consciousness" which promotes national welfare from all viewpoints.

Birds and Bones. -'erhaps there is a scientist here who_ would fight fiercely for the retention of a treasured moa-bone. Another might risk his life to save the tuatara from extinction, but this kind of self-sacrifice would not he plentiful. ^ When it comes to beautiful live singing birds, it is a different story. I know men — and women, too — who would take up arms to defend the tui and the bellbird against merciless destroyers. The tui and the bellbird have come more into their sense of country than the tally of tallow and frozen meat. Hope in fhe Young. "Boys are barbarians," a cynical person has remarked. "Animal spirits are as natural in boys as green is in young grass, but various movement have proved that it is possible to divert those spirits from mischief to healthful exercise and other good. By the right message, the right touch boys can he converted from bird-destroyers to bird-protectors. In that kind of ehange-over remarkable progress has heen made in the United States of America. "Wild-life study,"

says one reviewer, "is now heing taught in most of the puhlic schools of the United States. Children are familiarised with the common plants, trees, insects, animals, and birds. They are taught to recognise the commoner species and learn something of their habits. To further this work many States have set aside a 'birdday,' similar to and often in conjunction with an 'arhor-day,' on which the public school children plant berrytrees- or shrubs, huild bird-houses, and make excursions into the woods and fields under the guidance of teachers to study close at hand what they have been taught indoors. In other words, there is a general trend of popular sentiment toward teaching the younger generations to take an interest in birds and other form of wild life." Similar good work is being done in New Zealand, but the range of it is not yet nearly as wide as the Native Bird Protection Society would like. Bird Sanctuaries. Another progressive American example is in the use of golf-links as bird sanctuaries. Care is taken to plant the kind of trees that will give board as well as Iodging to birds. That example was well commended recently hy Mr. L. H. Tripp, president of the

New Zealand Acclimatisation Society. Of course, Mr. Tripp had in mind the species of trees (native and exotic) which would provide honeyed flowers or berries for native birds. How pleasant it would be if golf clubs competed for a championship in that very desirahle planting ? Who will offer a shield or a cup for it? Bigger Competitions. Mention of that golf-links notion gives a reminder of a bigger kind of, eompetition for which native birds would he very grateful. Who would not like to see Whangarei challenging Dargaville for the premiership in the planting of shrubs and trees (particularly "natives") beneficial for native birds. Similarly New Plymottth might he in rivalry with Wanganui, Hamilton with Hastings, Napier with Gisborne, Wellington with Auckland, Nelson with Greymouth, Christchurch with Dunedin, Timaru with' Oamaru,' Invercargill with Gore, and so on. Perhaps something like that can be put in train hefore the next Arbor Day comes around.

Gulls at Play. On the wharves or piers of any New Zealand port one may stand close to "the black-backed gull. It is a handsome bird, hut very stern-looking. No light of love lurks in its pale eyes, ever intent on food. Yet the gull has its moods of playfulness as I observed one windy day during a stroll on the wharves of Wellington. A long line of gulls on the roof-ridge of a big store held my gaze. One of the birds fl'ew high up into the breeze, and it was evidently imitating the soaring of the gannet. It tried to avoid ilapping its widespread wings while it went in a big circle hack to its percH by its mates. Indeed, it slipped intp only two or three fiutters. I could imagine one of the other birds saying: "JJot so had, Bill; you nearly did it.

Now 1 11 have a go." A moment after the first one returned another went off in the same planing flight. It was : apparently a eompetition. The flights j wero always single, and were always in the same soaring style'. It seemed ' that I was the solitary human specrtator o| a championship meeting.