M THE SOCIETY FOE THE PEESEEVATION OF 



a view to preserving the game from extinction within the next 

 decade or two, more particularly the rhinoceros, greater kudu, roan 

 and sable antelopes, the buffalo and eland, all of which have sadly 

 decreased in numbers within the last 16 years, either through 

 diseases (rinderpest) or the advance of civilisation, an adequate 

 and properly organised Game Banger's Department should bo 

 established without further delay. 



'The "Department" consisting as it does at present, at Mr. 

 Percival, the Eanger, and four or six native scouts is considered, 

 with truth, to be little more than a farce. This, I submit, is no 

 fault of Mr. Percival. . 



' For several years our Chief Veterinary Officer was single- 

 handed with one Indian assistant, and the " Department " was the 

 subject of similar ridicule. _ 



' Even if Mr. Percival had more funds at his disposal tor an 

 increased staff of native scouts, they would be of little use without 

 European supervision. Our past experiences witn native police 

 and native tax-collectors have proved this beyond all question. 

 Mr Percival certainly has the making of a very good Eanger. 

 He is young, active and keen, a fearless rider, is inured to hard- 

 ships a complete stranger to all idea of comfort, a good sportsman, 

 and a naturalist. I am myself in favour of his remaining as 

 Eanger, and at a salary of .£400 a year. He was originally 

 appointed as an Assistant Collector in June, 1900, and Game 

 Eanger in May, 1901, but did not take up his duties as such until 

 the following October, and he still appears in the staff list among 

 the Assistant Collectors. Messrs. Pearson, Partington, Haywood, 

 and Maclean, all of whom were junior to him, have already been 

 promoted to Collectorships. 



' Begirding the three Assistant Eangers, it is more than doubt- 

 ful whether an Assistant Collector now in the country would care 

 to exchange from one branch, where promotion has hitherto been 

 fairly rapid, to one in which it would be very remote. Should, 

 however, a suitable candidate come forward for the post of Deputy 

 Eanger I would suggest the salary be £300 a year. If no suitable 

 candidate should be forthcoming, throe Assistants should be 

 appointed at a salary of £250 each, on probation for one year. 

 At the end of the year, one of them should be selected, according 

 to merit, for the post of Deputy Eanger at .£300 a year. It may 

 be considered that these salaries are too high, and that the three 

 Assistants should rank as subordinates. Against this I would 

 urge our experiences with Europeans on the Subordinate Staff. 

 Before the Administrative Staff was increased to its present 

 strength both in this Protectorate and in Uganda, our experiences 

 with Sergeant Instructors, Police Inspectors, and other Europeans 

 on the Subordinate Staff were far from happy. So long as they 

 were under supervision the majority were quite satisfactory, and 

 did excellent work, but directly they were given a little authority, 

 and were alone, even though temporarily, the best of them went 

 astray in one way or another. . 



