286 



to provide a fire-break on the boundary, and for the salary of 

 a resident ranger. The committee again emphasized the impor- 

 tance of vesting the reserve ("Flinders Chase,"' as it was sug- 

 gested it should be called) in trustees as early as possible, as 

 the difficulty of securing the rarer fauna yearly increased with the 

 rapid multiplication of foxes on the mainland and the extension 

 of settlements. 



At length, on February 10, 1910, the reserve at the west end 

 of Kangaroo Island was gazetted as a Fauna and Flora Reserve. 

 Its area, I am officially informed, is 146 square miles (93,440- 

 acres), a considerable advance on the 67 square miles previously 

 granted, and showing that the persistent efforts of the Committee 

 had not been in vain. This is very satisfactory as far as it 

 goes. We wished it had been larger and still hope in that direc- 

 tion. We would also much prefer to have it vested in trustees, 

 as in the case of the Belair Reserve, as it then seems more se- 

 cure from alienation, although I am informed that the powers 

 of the Commonwealth are practically unlimited as to what it can 

 acquire in the way of land. Now that the Kangaroo Island 

 Reserve is proclaimed it seems desirable that further action 

 should be taken, by preventive by-laws, to secure from destruc- 

 tion, not only existing fauna and flora, but whatever native ani- 

 mals or plants may subsequently be introduced. It may be ad- 

 ded that, as a whole, the western end of the island is not con- 

 sidered suitable for agricultural purposes, although there are some 

 rich patches. Deprivation to intending settlers, therefore, 

 would be slight, while as a sanctuary for game, etc., the country 

 is on many grounds peculiarly suitable. 



OTHER RESERVES. 



In addition to the two large areas (Belair and Kangaroo 

 Island) already mentioned, there are a number of smaller re- 

 serves in this State amounting to something under 1,000 acres, 

 such as the reserves at Brownhill Creek, Waterfall Gully, Mount 

 Lofty Summit, Port Noarlunga, Echunga, 100 acres adjoining 

 Marble Hill, and 120 acres at the Naracoorte Caves. 



It may be mentioned that, under the Birds' Protection Act 

 (745, of 1900), several islands, mostly on our western coast line, 

 have been proclaimed as "Birds' Protection Districts." 



National Parks of Victoria. 



The struggle to secure Wilson's Promontory as a National 

 Park for Victoria strongly resembles that in which we ourselves 

 were concerned, but the struggle in their case seems to have 

 been more prolonged. For 20 years the proposal was before the 

 public without much progress being made, and deputations and 

 public meetings were necessary to counteract other influences 

 which sought to cut the area into blocks. Amongst these must 

 be mentioned the efforts of a lady (Mrs. Gordon Baillie) who 

 endeavoured to secure 45,000 acres near the Promontory as a 

 settlement for some 1,000 Skye Crofters. The pioneer and prime 

 mover for securing the reservation appears to have been Mr. J. 

 B. Gregory, a member of the Field Naturalists' Club, and upon that 

 Club rested the main work of attacking opposing strongholds, and 

 of bringing Ministerial minds to a proper sense of their duty. 

 Professor Baldwin Spencer, a president of the Royal Society of 

 Victoria, then took an active part as a speaker at deputations 



