173 



•on the Premier of the clay in October, 1888, together with con- 

 siderable subsequent correspondence and other action, a promise 

 has been obtained from the Government to the effect that re- 

 serves of this character will be made, although the size and other 

 details have not yet been settled. 



Tlte Game Laws.— Through the aid of Mr. R. G. Solomon, of 

 Newark, United States, and of local skin merchants, the Govern- 

 ment w^as induced to introduce an amending Game Bill, provid- 

 ing for the partial protection of kangaroos and opossums. The 

 measure, however, met with strong opposition in the Legislative 

 Council, and was rejected by that House on the second reading, 

 without a division being taken. The arguments used by the ad- 

 verse speakers were apparently based upon the state of affairs 

 existing three years ago and not upon the facts as they now are. 

 The only hope of the absolute extinction of the kangaroo being 

 prevented seems to lie in the fact that before long its numbers 

 Avill have become so small as to render its chase for the purposes 

 of commerce unremunerative. The Bill was by no means of the 

 comprehensive character desired by the Section, but no further 

 legislation in this direction can be attempted till next session. 

 In accordance with the request of the Committee, placards noti- 

 fying the chief provisions of the Game Act have been circulated 

 throughout the districts affected by its enactments by order of 

 the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who has given instructions to 

 the police to secure, as far as possible, the observance of the 

 statute. The corresponding members of the Section have also 

 promised to help in this work. 



Education in Natural History. — The Committee requested the 

 Education Depertment to give more direct instruction in natural 

 science, especially in its relations to the native fauna and flora, 

 and although not much has yet been done towards this end, there 

 is reason to believe that the next few years will see a consider- 

 able advance in the direction indicated. The extension of the 

 operations of the Boys' Field Club to the country towns of the 

 colony will also largely tend to promote- that healthier public 

 sentiment which is so desirable in the interests of tlie movement. 



Forest Reserves. — Determined efforts have been made during the 

 year by a certain section of the community to obtain the exten- 

 sive resumption of forest and other reserves for the purposes of 

 cultivation. The Committee had a motion tabled at a meeting of 

 the Section protesting against any such action being taken, and 

 the resolution was forwarded to the Commissioner of Crown 

 Lands. It is with much pleasure that the Committee have 

 noticed that a motion was subsequently passed in the Upper 

 House affirming the undesirableness of resuming the forest re- 



