THE GAME LAWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 307, 25 July 1868, Page 3

THE GAME LAWS.

It has been truly said that " whore ignorance is bliss tis folly to be wise," and the correctness of the axiom is fully proved as far as the mining population of the AVest Coast goes in relation to a measure which became law in October last year. It is entitled " An Act to provide for the protection of certain animales, and for the encouragement of Acclimatisation Societies in New Zealand, The preamble sets forth that its object is, " to provide for the protection of certain animals and birds, &c. At the first blush this appears a very harmless, nay necessary Act, and were its provisions confined within proper limits, without doubt its usefulness and ddsirability could not be questioned But this is not the case, and on the country the most stringent and arbitary regulations are laid down, and we are glad to see that a Nelson contemporary The Colonist has led the way in attacking such legislation, with a view to draw attention to the subject prior to the meeting of the assembly. Eew people on the coast, can have any idea of the penalties they are subjected to under this Act, and for general information, we will give an abstract of a few of its provisions. In the first place, we all know that the prospector has frequently to rely on his gun for his food, and yet if he kills game of any description whatever, or otherwise, in the fenced season he is liable to heavy penalties. In order to judge of what a comprehensive nature "game" as thus protected is, we quote from the Act. Schedule 4includes pheasants, partridges, grouse, black game, quails, snipe, plover, swans, hares, antelope, deer, imported wild duck, of any species. As far as this list goes, protection may be put on them to any extent without injury to any one, but let us see what the next comprises. In schedule 5 are set down wild ducks of any species, bittern, pied stilt plover, wild geese, wood pigeon, real, black stilt plover, curlew, quail. This latter we should say contains the native game, and there are no less than eight fenced months out of the twelve for them. We extract from the 11th clause " No native game (that is game included in schedule 5) shall be hunted, shot, or killed, in any part of the colony except during the month of April, May, June, aud July in each year." The penalty for infringement is not to exceed twenty pounds, or imprisonment not exceeding four months. Under any circumstances no person is to hunt or shoot game on a Sunday. Now, we all know that in the bush pigeons are often the .staple food, and yet according to this Act they can only be killed four months in the year. It is notorious that they not only exist in numbers, but perfectly swarm in parts of the coast and colony, and yet for that period they are not to be touched. It is very well to say it is extremely unlikely that any one would inform against others who render themselves liable to penalties and no doubt such instances would be very rare. Still they may arise, especially as the informer gets half the penalty. There are unfortunately plenty of people in the world who would do far worse than lay an information against others for pigeon shooting, for far less than the reward now offered, and that opportunity should be given, or that a common and extraordinaryprolific bird like the pigeon should be so hedged in, is monstrous to a degree. Wild ducks again are in myriads in the interior, and yet a hungry prospecter if he has the fear of the Act before his eyes, is to watch them for eight months out of the twelve, without ruffling a feather. There is a long number of harsh and almost incredible clauses in the measure in question which are not necessary to particuralise, for we have every hope that the worst portion of them are doomed in the next session. All we would wish our readers to understand is that for kdling any of the birds contained in schedule 5, from the

expiration of this month till the Ist of April next, they are liahle under the existing laws of New Zealand to a fine of £2O or four months imprison, ment with hard labor. That any one for killing a wild pigeon or wilk duck should he liable to such a punishment is iniquitous to the last degree, and at revival is thus brought about of he accursed game laws of Great Britain. How long the people of New Zealand will stand this remains to be seen. The residents in this district cannot at all events longer plead ignorance of the penalties they are subject to.