14 THE SOCIETY FOE THE PBESEBVATION OP 



specimens of that difficulty in the Transvaal, which is open to 

 prospecting of people ranging all over the country, and prospectors 

 generally. You have difficulties, generally speaking, of course; 

 there is the difficulty of those who are settling there and who 

 wish to kill the game, not as sportsmen, but for self-protection. 



Mr. P. C. Selous : In Northern Nigeria I do not think there 

 is any at all. 



The Colonial Secretary : I do not think there is. I do not 

 think there would be much difficulty in creating a Eeserve, but 

 there is very great difficulty in doing anything in Northern 

 Nigeria which would cost any money at all. It receives now, 

 I think, about J350,000 a year from this country as a grant in aid, 

 and anything which was put on to the country would have to 

 pass the Treasury. 



Mr. Edward Buxton : Then £1,000 a year for the preservation 

 of game would not be a very large percentage on what the nation 

 contributes already. 



Sir Henry Seton-Karr : I should like to ask a question upon 

 that ; would it not be possible to consider making this a question 

 of Imperial expenditure ? I do not think you will ever get an 

 effective Beserve in Africa, or anywhere else, unless you make it 

 a question of Imperial expenditure. With regard to the progress 

 made for many years, which has been referred to, in the North- 

 West of Wyoming, there what has been done is a question of 

 United States control and United States expenditure. It is done, 

 and the Beserve is absolute ; it is guarded by a military post, and 

 it is carefully guarded by a troop of cavalry and game wardens. 

 It is enforced in the most absolute way ; the Commissioners there 

 have powers to inflict fines. 



The Colonial Secretary: Yes ; I have been there. 



Sir Henry Seton-Karr : The reason is that they have learned 

 a bitter lesson, as Mr. Buxton has already pointed out ; they have 

 found that the buffalo has been exterminated, and that the wapiti, 

 one of the most splendid animals in their district, has been in 

 danger of extermination, and they have realised that the only way 

 to achieve their object was to make it a central office and to 

 i;ii force it with the most absolute severity. I submit that to you 

 as a very good example. 



I am not sanguine enough to believe that we shall get the cost 

 of a Beserve, at all events for many years, out of South Africa. 

 I think it ought to be a question of Imperial expenditure, and 

 I think that would possibly meet the question. Of course I know 

 there are enormous difficulties with regard to prospectors, and all 

 that, but the American people have overcome that in the particular 

 localities. It seems that if one can find a Beserve, if it is possible, 

 which is comparatively free from minerals, in which you could 

 make it absolute by means of a resident military post, or a guard, 

 and if that were done at the Imperial cost, it would be the most 

 successful way of dealing with the matter. 



Mr. Edward Buxton : Before you leave that question, may 



