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so happily situated in this respect as South Australia. Within 

 little more than 30 minutes' train journey from the city one is 

 brought within the precincts of the park at Belair, and in this 

 reserve — insignificantly small as compared with those in New 

 South Wales — (like a town allotment compared with a country 

 section) — one is not only close to the heart of Nature in the 

 midst of hills and dales, but with sufficient level ground to pro- 

 vide for cricket or football ovals, and tennis-courts, in profusion, 

 swings, etc. The popular conception of a day's holiday — I sup- 

 pose a tribute to the active temperament of the British race — is 

 that it is not complete, no matter what the temperature may be, 

 unless some active exercise is indulged in. Shall we ever arrive, 

 I wonder, at that stage of barbarism or culture or sestheticism — 

 as you may individually view it — such as those Japanese evince 

 who go out into the country solely to admire the beautiful sight 

 of a blossoming tree? There is certainly very much to admire 

 at our National Park, the blossom of trees (wattle, for instance), 

 the flowers of the shrubs and lowlier plants, the song of birds, 

 and beauty of landscape. Possibly later generations will find 

 that with the increasing strenuousness of business life a repose- 

 ful day amid the beauty of Nature may be more beneficial, more 

 recreative in its proper sense, to the harassed man of toil than 

 the most active of outdoor games in which he can indulge. 



The only other park in which provision is made to any con- 

 siderable extent for games is the National Park at Port Hack- 

 ing, in New South Wales, and with the exception of boating, is 

 of quite recent date. I see by the report for the year "ending 

 June 30, 1908, that 20 acres were cleared near the Loftus Rail- 

 way Station (on the outskirts of the park) as a cricket and foot- 

 ball oval, and in a letter, dated September 10, 1909, I am in- 

 formed that provision has also been made for tennis and swim- 

 ming, whilst a portion of the river has been enclosed for bath- 

 ers. 



If, however, we regard a National Park, not so much as a 

 playground, but as a means of preserving the natural features 

 of a country, as well as a sanctuary for native birds and animals,, 

 we in South Australia are much behind some other States. I 

 have already referred to the number, variety, and tameness of 

 animal and bird life in the Sydney National Park, and the dan- 

 ger of extermination of some species, unless some such protection 

 is afforded. It was for this reason, chiefly, that we were sa 

 anxious to secure the reserve at Kangaroo Island. But, even 

 if this be made, as we hope it will, a real sanctuary for our na- 

 tive flora and fauna, its distance from the city and consequent in- 

 accessibility to the multitude will prevent the bulk of the people 

 having the pleasure of viewing our birds and animals under ap- 

 proximately natural conditions, such as would be the case if the 

 enclosure at Belair, for which we have long agitated, were an ac- 

 complished fact. The term "enclosure" may be liable to be misun- 

 derstood. It must not be considered as a small fenced area for ani- 

 mals, such as we see in the Zoological Gardens, but one of many 

 acres in extent ; in fact, much in the same proportion as the 

 flying cage for birds at the Zoo is to the aviary of the average 

 householder. 



If we turn to botanical life, we here have so far done things 

 in a somewhat microscopic way. We have two minute enclosures 

 for native plants in the park, but notwithstanding the by-laws,. 



