THE WILD FAUNA OTT THE EMPIBB 



13 



that the attention of the authorities will bo directed to this, to 

 take every precaution that modern weapons should not get into the 

 hands of the natives. Once they do, there is an end of the game. 

 Knally, may I point out that the existenoe of game is a great 

 attraction to settlers? If it is shot out or seriously reduced, the 

 attraction is gone, as well as a considerable means of livelihood. 



The Colonial Secretary : Do you mind my asking one or 

 two questions ? Do I understand that you wish in the Regulation 

 uniformity throughout all the territories, as a recommendation? 



Mr. Edward Buxton : Yos, general principles should be 

 determined subject to local circumstances. 



i The Colonial Secretary : Of course I may say that I agree 

 entirely with your object, but with regard to -Reserves I see a 

 reference here to the largo Reserve that you pointed out to me — ■ 

 the Sugota Reserve. I suppose i t is about 250 miles square, or 

 something of that kind? Have you formed any estimate at all of 

 What would be required to police that satisfactorily ? 



Mr. Edward Buxton : 1 do not say that it is not too big — I do 

 not say that it is not needlessly large. It is far better to have 

 a moderate area well watched and protected than a large area 

 which is merely coloured on the map. 



The Colonial Secretary : Yes. The reason I mentioned 

 that was this — I speak really with great ignorance on the matter, 

 but it seemed to me that a Reserve which should cover the migra- 

 tion of species would necessarily bo a largo Reserve;. 



Mr. Edwahd Buxton : Well, it depends upon the animal, and 

 its observed migration. I think they mostly follow the food, the 

 grass, which varies in different areas, and the water. Probably 

 many species would not have to travel perhaps more than forty 

 miles one way or the other, elephants much further, but such 

 animals as the eland and the wildebeeste, which are still numerous 

 there, are all the year round within a range of fifty miles. 



The Colonial Secretary: Yes. You will probably admit 

 that, for instance, in a poor Colony or Protectorate you nrust cut 

 your coat according to your cloth, more or less ; that is to say, 

 that you must have a small Reserve if to police a large Reserve 

 would bo costly. Or do you suggest that, owing (which I quite 

 agree is in some degree true) to its Imperial interest, the cost 

 should be borne from homo ? 



Mr. Edward Buxton: Well, the nation lias 'pegged out 

 claims ' and must bear some of the charges. 



Mr. I 1 . C. Selous : Might I say that I fancy the difficulty with 

 regard to establishing a Reserve in Rhodesia would be because of 

 the fact that white men who go into that country are mostly 

 Prospectors, and it would be really difficult to restrain prospectors 

 from travelling over the whole country if they thought that they 

 were likely to find any payable reefs in it, and, supposing they did 

 find payable reefs, probably the Came Reserve would be no longer 

 maintained. 



The Colonial Secretary : We have already had some 



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