Open Season for Paradise

Birds.

To the Editor.

Sir, —Owing to the wide world de pression and the heavy fall in prices of all tropical products, it is imperative that the combined Administrations of Papua and the Mandated Territory should explore every available source to try and alleviate the financial losses and distress amongst the primary pro ducers, planters, and traders.

In the Old World, owing to a change in fashions, there is at present a great demand for feathers and plumes. There is no reason why this could not be taken advantage of for the financial benefit of the whole community in the Pacific, by lifting the prohibition and declaring an open season for Birds of Paradise. Reasons are: It would give the planters and traders a source of revenue to meet their heavy obligations.

All the business firms would gain by increasing' the circulation of ready money and giving the unemployed the means of earning a living.

The greatest benefit of all would be to the prospectors, diggers and ex plorers, for it would give them an op portunity to pay their expenses, whilst prospecting and exploring new ground and territory which in itself may lead to further valuable gold and mineral finds.

Last of all, the Governments would gain a valuable supplement to their fading revenues in sales of licenses, customs duties, through larger circula tion of money, and royalties or export duties, without any outlay or expense to themselves.

Already there are precedents as a guide, for in Australia it has been deemed necessary to throw open a sea son for shooting ’possums and koala bears, to find employment and alleviate the financial strain amongst the rural population; and both the koala bear and opossum are far more valuable fauna and more easily exterminated than the Paradise bird. In fact, it is generally recognised it is only the name that has protected the Paradise bird. Had it been known as the Gehenna bird, it would have received but little attention.

I am, etc.,

P.N.C.

Papua.