222 PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION. 



Falkland isi- waters, visited that reg-ion in January, 1892, and 



auils. ^ '' 



he states, nnder oath, that the ordinance of 1881 

 is enforced in the sea surrounding tliose islands 

 outside the three-mile limit, and that it would be 

 deemed a violation of the law to take seals during 

 the close season between the Falkland Islands 

 and Beauchene Island, twenty-eight miles dis- 

 tant.^ 

 New Zealand. During the. past fifteen years a series of laws 



and orders in council have been enacted for the 

 protection of seals in the Colony of New Zealand, 

 which not only established a close season, but 

 have at times entirely prohibited the taking of 

 seals for a consecutive period of eight years.^ 

 The New Zealand Seal Fisheries Act of 1878 

 established a close season for seals extending 

 from October 1 to June 1.^ Section 4 empowers 

 the Governor, by Order in Council, to extend or 

 vary the close season as to "the whole Colony 

 or only in particular parts thereof." And this 

 provision has been substantially reenacted in 

 all subsequent legislation. The area designated 

 as ''the Colony" is taken to mean the area 



' James W. Biidiugtoii, Vol. II, p. 593. 



2 New Zealand Act, 1878, Vol. I, p. 437. See also Reports, 

 Department of Marino (18801890), Regnlations by tlie Governor 

 of New Zealand in Council, January 10, 1888. 



