PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20276, 19 August 1937, Page 11

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents, whose ; letters are welcome, but for whose j views we have no responsibility. | Correspondents are requested to write In ink. It Is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear. THE DREAM ISLAND. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Strangs as It may seem, right below the rock In Mr Kenah’s dream of Douglas Social Credit Island —the “root hog, or die” rock—was discovered what turned out to be the great “root hog, or die” gold mine. The Douglas settlers thought it a great Joke that of all metals gold should be discovered there. In the first year they mined 2,500,0000 z of gold and r considerable amount of silver. They got Hie silver made up into useful household requisites and ornaments; 500,0000 z of the gold they put aside for rings, ornaments, teeth, etc. 'J’he other 2,000,0000 z they sent away to England, and being settlers of good taste and old English stock they decided upon real old English oak furniture, and a,lso a number of doors and panels. The furniture is giving them great satisfaction and comfort. The gold is noxv stored axvay, along with millions of pounds worth of other gold, where no man can possibly touch or get it, safer and more secure than ever it was on Mr Kenali’s dream Island. A little story goes with this gold. In the ships which carried the gold were a most unscrupulous purser and oilier officers. Knowing the value of the containers, they substituted many similar containers and filled them with heavlly-gilted brass and lead, and smuggled much of the genuine gold to America, where they exchanged it for many American goods. Those containers are now reposing under a great mountain In North America, giving all concerned a great amount of work and anxiety keeping them safe from robbers. The dream island, after many years, is a happy and contented place, free from public debts, all up-to-date equipment, roads, bridges, schools, parks, all debt free, changing their good production for other people's goods and labour. That is as It should be in Ibis age of science and plenty—plenty for all and more awaiting.—l am, etc., SOMNAMBULIST. Hamilton, August 17. PIGEON SHOOTING.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Kindly permit me space m your paper to make a few statements of fact pertaining to the above shooting. Personally I consider that correspondents when writing letters to the newspapers concerning other folk. and hiding behind nom de plumes, should handle the truth carefully. “Falrplay” state* that the birds at shooting matches are “blown to pieces j or, worse still, horribly mutilated.” . This Is absolutely contrary to fact. ! "Pigeon” state* that thousands of t tame pigeons are being -secretly bought up by emissaries of gun clubs. This is also not true, as only about 330 | pigeons will be required at Morrlnsviile. and these are all cull birds, which, if not shot, would have to be destroyed some other way. I maintain that the most humane method of eliminating life, especially birds, is by shooting. During my membership of gun clubs over the past forty years I have competed with ministers of various churches and leading citizens of New Zealand and other parts of the world, and I was always proud to bo associated with these gentlemen. In the past, matches were held frequently, and in most parts of New Zealand, but our Gun Clubs Association of New Zealand has agreed to issue permits to clubs to shoot live birds only at the championship meeting once a year, thus reducing pigeon shooting to a minimum, and not reviving it, as stated by your correspondent “Sparrow.” According to Mr Marfell’s own statement. tlie lion. Minister of Internal Affairs was explaining this fact to tho deputation which waited on him last July, and Mr Marfell makes this unfair and uncalled for statement of “political evasiveness.” 1 would like Mr Marfell and his colleagues to look up the law statutes of New Zealand ami peruse the case Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals versus one Tucker and study carefully the ruling of the late Mr Justice Chapman in the Supreme Court at Wellington. This ruling on pigeon shooting is worth reading by any of your reader*. During my career of gun-club shooting a Bill to suppress live bird shooting has been introduced into the House of Representatives on five or six occasions. Our gun clubs have Invited the members of Parliament to inspect our shooting matches at various times, to form their own opinions and then decide on the merits of the Bill with an open mind and first-hand knowledge, and each time the Hill has been defeated. May I be permitted to mention Hie names of a few OI Iho members of Parliament xvho, with manv others, inspected matches in my presence and finally supported our gun clubsV These xvero the late Hon. B. Bollard, the late Sir William Heines, tlie late Sir Frederick Lang and the late Right lion. \Y. V. Massey. If Mr Marfell and bis kindred societies are sincere in their intention with the Hill they are bringing forward. xxlix do they not be consistent hunting, trapping .*r rabbits and opossum*. etc. ? Does Mrs Scat know that Ibe birds she names “children of the wind” have b-en declared pests and vermin in manv countries of the world, and even In' Canterbury just ntly farmer** were, seeking aid for Hie *!•■- destruction "f these birds, which hid I been ravaging Hie grain crops? As for sparrows, the number stud in matches is insignificant compared wilti Hie thousands that are destroyed by the farmers every year m 111.) South what would happen I" lire crops if thousands of these pests were not |~\ i• j- “*IOO of these birds killed in a tew ing in gun clubs, and do md *i ,, sire further to use your columns for the purpose of this controversy, but. as ’ tho official referee for the N-'w Zealand Gun Clubs Association. I lux. W. N\ uuL.YLN. Hamilton. August IS.