CA.MI-: ANDC.AMl-: PKl'.SI'.KN' ATK IN IN ZlJLri.AND. ,V; 1 



I he lattcM" were, tirst. iv incliule within their hniits areas in whieli, 

 owing to the presence of water and dense bush, and the proximity 

 of the Game Reserves, Nagana might be considered to lie. as 

 the Veterinary Research Officer expressed it. endemic; and 

 secondly, to provide buffer areas where possible, round the ( lame 

 Reserves, which would tend to prevent persons who had only 

 the £2 licences from trespassing in the Reserves, as was done by 

 both Europeans and natives during the latter portion of 191 5 

 and the opening months of 1916. 



It was expected, and hitherto the results have justified that 

 expectation, that many more Open Area Licences would be re- 

 quired than for Special Areas, with the result that in the former 

 game would c|uickly be diminished in numbers, wdiile those which 

 escaped would be urged towards the Special Areas, and thence, 

 by the holders of licences for those Areas, into the Game Reserves. 



The success or failure of this scheme depends entirely upon 

 wdiether the pressure is exerted from behind or in front, i.e.. 

 from the Open or the Special Areas. If from the former, suc- 

 cess is, I believe, assured ; but if the pressure slackens in the 

 Open Areas, and is exerted from the direction of the Game 

 Reserves and Special Areas, failure will certainly result. 



It might be contended that in the latter case there is as 

 much chance of the game flying towards the Game Reserves as 

 to the Open Areas, but I consider that most unlikely in con- 

 sideration of the relatively vast size of the latter. And even 

 if it were to go in the direction of the Reserves, these are no 

 small that they would be quickly crossed and the game would 

 again find itself under fire. 



And. obviously, if the object be to keep the game in the 

 Reserves, or as close thereto as possible, at no time should the 

 pressure come from that direction. 



The Native Afifairs Department is, of course, fully justified 

 in doing all it can in the interests of the natives, that is its raison 

 d'etre ; but it seems that if the question be considered in a sane, 

 common-sense manner, it will become apparent that to permit the 

 natives to harry the game all the year rovmd, especially upon the 

 immediate borders of the Reserves, is not in consonance with 

 their best interests. 



In the first place, these localities, being near the Game Re- 

 serves, are considered by the Research Officer to be amongst 

 those in which Nagana is endemic, and to permit natives, par- 

 ticularly such as own stock, to continue to live therein, merely 

 ^because they wish to, does not seem to be a course of action 

 conducing to their interests. 



It is very similar to permitting a child to continue playing 

 with a box of matches in the middle of a straw-yard, merely 

 because he wishes to do so. Moreover, during the close season, 

 owing to the rains and length of the grass and other cover, there 

 will be a distinct diminution in the amount of shooting done in 

 the Open Areas, that is to say, the pressure from behind will 

 slacken. Continued harrying of the game on <:be Reserve borders. 



