PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LTCO 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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the water with calabashes on their heads, with holes for their eyes, being immersed up to their necks, and seize the unsuspecting egrets by the legs. After plucking the feathers they were set free again.
The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., K.G., M.P.,
&c.,
(Translation.)
&C..
&c.
I have, &c.,
FREDERIC D. HARFORD.
Puerto Nutrias, September 2nd, 1912.
The crop of heron plumes will be poor this year. On one side, the war that is made against them by killing prematurely the bird, and on the other side, the lowness of the waters, on account of which the places where they breed are not flooded, will make this article of luxury very scarce.
38338
No. 8.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 4 December, 1912.)
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and, by direction of the Secretary of State, transmits herewith copy of a letter from Mr. James Buckland, dated November 23, respecting the protection of birds of paradise in New Guinea.
Reference to previous letter: To Colonial Office, November 7.*
Foreign Office,
SIR,
December 3, 1912.
(Similar letter sent to Board of Agriculture and Board of Trade.)
Enclosure in No. 8.
Hamburg, November 23rd, 1912.
I AM most happy to say that the Secretary-General at the Hague convinced me that Holland is endeavouring to protect the birds of Dutch New Guinea from the wholesale slaughter to which they have been hitherto subjected. I enclose a somewhat clumsy translation of the Order which is now in force, and I am assured that the Dutch officials out there have been instructed to see that the Order is enforced.
The Secretary-General asked me to keep an account of the number of skins of the protected birds that are sold in London from February to June, and to submit the list to him. He will then know if any serious leakage is occurring.
At the same time, he pointed out that while Germany continues to be inactive in the matter of protecting the birds of her New Guinea possession it will be extremely difficult to stop the export, for the skins will be got out by way of German territory. In view of this, he impressed upon me the desirability of trying by every means to get Germany either to prohibit the export of plumage, or to issue an order similar to that of Holland.
Hoping that I might be able to do something in this direction, I came to Hamburg to see Carl Hagenbeck, who, I know, has considerable influence with the Emperor. Most unfortunately, I arrived to find that he had just undergone an operation, and, though I have waited here three days in the hope of seeing him, I am afraid that that prospect is as remote as ever.
As it is of the utmost importance that Germany should do something if the birds of paradise, goura pigeons, &c., which remain are to be saved, I venture to ask if there is any possibility of your being able to give me an introduction through the Embassy at Berlin to the German Secretary-General at the Office of the Minister of
• No. 7.
13
the Colonies? I am quite prepared to hear that this is not so easy a matter as in the case of Holland, but I shall go to Berlin to-morrow in any case, and shall be at the Hotel Minerva, Unter den Linden, for some days, at least.
I am most hopeful of an International Conference on the subject of bird preservation being brought about in the near future, but these things work slowly, and the case of the birds of paradise and the crowned pigeons is so desperate that only the winning of Germany to act in accord with Great Britain and Holland will save them from extermination. If unity of action can be obtained in New Guinea, it will put such a check on their slaughter that they will survive until an Inter national Agreement is arrived at.
I have, &c.,
Sir Edward Grey, K.G.
JAMES BUCKLAND.
Mr. Hagenbeck, junior, tells me that he is confident that if the matter is properly put before the Minister of the Colonies there will be little difficulty in getting him to fall into line with Great Britain and Holland.
On the 1st of July, 1910, an " ordonnance was issued by the Government (Indian State Paper, 1909, No. 497), for the protection of the wild fauna of Dutch New Guinea. Since the 1st of January, 1912, this "ordonnance" has been in force.
"Ordonnance" of 1st of July, 1910.
Article 1-It is prohibited to catch or kill wild animals, or birds, with the exception of such as the Governor-Governor excludes. It is prohibited to possess wild animals, living or dead, or to possess skins or parts of them.
Article 2. It is prohibited to collect the eggs of wild birds, or to possess such eggs. It is prohibited to disturb or destroy the nests.
Article 3.-The Governor-General has the power to authorise the Governors of the Provinces to repeal the prohibitions of the Articles 1 and 2, or part of them, but only for a limited period, and under such conditions that no animals or birds can be exterminated.
Article 4-The Director of Agriculture is authorised to give licences for hunting and catching animals or birds for scientific purposes.
Article 5.-The Articles 1 and 2 are not applicable in private houses or grounds. Article 6-Such persons as infringe this ordonnance will be punished. The punishments are:-The payment of 100 guilders, or imprisonment, and, for the natives, hard labour at the public works.
Article 7-The animals, eggs, parts of animals, and the instruments used, are taken from offenders by the officials. If the animals are found to be still living, they will be set free at once, or, if they are injured, they will be killed. The animals, eggs, and parts of animals thus taken away must be destroyed.
Article 8.-All officials of the Government, each in his district, and including the "Controleurs," the post office keepers, the civil administrators, and the foresters, are authorised to apply this "ordonnance."
This ordonnance" has been followed by another, which is in force since the 1st of May, 1912, running thus:-
Article 1-It is prohibited to hunt birds of paradise, parrots, and crowned pigeons in Dutch New Guinea without a licence given by the Governor of the Province
Tidou.
Article 2.—If a person is found hunting without a licence he will be fined; if a European, 100 guilders or imprisonment for eight days; if he is a native, the fine will be 100 guilders, or three months' hard labour at the public works.
The animals, eggs, skins, and parts of animals are taken from the offenders and destroved.
Article 3.—If a person, having a licence, is acting against the conditions therein, the licence is taken away.
A licence must also be obtained for having a gun, two kilogrammes of gunpowder, and shot. When skins of birds are exported, this may be done only by licence-holders. If other persons try to export skins, these aro taken away from them, and they are punished.