SHOOTING HOMING PIGEONS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 214, 10 June 1902, Page 3

SHOOTING HOMING PIGEONS.

A FEW dayn ago Mr M. O'Brien, of "The Cronch," ha<l nine pigeons shot by some pot-hunter. The birds were pets of the children, and Mr O'Brien i; naturally very much annoyed. Several others have complained of thenbirds being shot at. There is a heavy penalty for shooting homing pigeons, and the various rfueon clubs are united in their determination to try and bring offen ders before the Court. Anyone who is old enough to fire a -an knows that there are no «ik Leons about the East Coast, and iould realise that they may destroy very valuable birds ipartfrom the legitimate sport that is derived from the flying of races, it should be remembered hat there is another use to which the birds could be put-that of carrying message from outlying districts in time of war In a ountry such as ours with hi 1 herein a guerilla warfare xronU , e the only means of meeting the foe on any terms of equality the feathered messengers would b* a valuable means of obtaining' information, and the better trained the pigeon the better the result. This contingency is well cognised by the Government which provides for carrying all training hampers free on the railways, and encourages its officials to assist,the sport. It doe 9 seem hard, therefore, that some ignoramus who has adopted the motto credited to the Englishman, "It is a fine day, let us go out and kill something, should destroy in a moment the labour of years of breeding and training. There is nothing on a pigeon to make it worth shooting for the pot, and the idea that it can be used for a target with impunity is one that will have to be dispelled. If there are no finer feelings to appeal to in such .•sportsmen" a lightening of their pocket may have the desired eftect.