249 



We were able in 1891 to secure an alteration of the Game 

 Act providing for the protection of kangaroos in proclaimed areas, 

 and Kangaroo Island was at once proclaimed, and subsequently 

 Eyre Peninsula for three years; but the persistent poaching did. 

 not allow the natural increase to take place, and at the ter- 

 mination of every successive period the proclamation has been 

 renewecL 



The numerous alterations in Game Acts have involved a great 

 deal of work., and the present Birds Protection Act is a very 

 great improvement on previous legislation. Under these very 

 successful efforts seals are now protected, and also the breeding 

 places of seagulls, penguins, and mutton-birds — The Pages, 

 Casuarina. Island, Dangerous Reef, and the islands in Coffin Bay,. 

 Port Douglas, and Mount Dutton and Kellidie Bays. Much of 

 our legislation and general policy have gradually been copied 

 more or less in the other States, and all patriotic and well- 

 informed public opinion in Australasia is in favour now of still 

 further advances being made to secure the great principle of pre- 

 servation of our native fauna and flora, and in this State Ave have 

 particularly to acknowledge the assistance of the Press, especially 

 from the very first of The Begister, and on every occasion we 

 have asked for it the active sympathy and support of the A.N. A. 

 Under the provisions in the various Game Acts we have always 

 contended for special areas as spheres for natural increase, and 

 it has been a great pleasure to see Mr. Vaughan's wise use of 

 them — the islands in the Coorong for waterfowl and Pearson's 

 Island for its special wallaby. 



Parks. 



I now turn to the history of the Parks, the National Park 

 at Belair and Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island, which we con- 

 fidently hope to see established in the near future, and in the 

 expectant hope that the constitution of the latter will be an 

 improvement on the first, which has taken twenty years to par- 

 tially fulfil the objects we have so very strenuously fought for 

 since 1888, hence some detail is necessary. 



The immediate result of this section approving of my motion 

 as above was the important deputation organized by Messrs. 

 W. H. Selway and A. F. Robin to wait upon the Hon. T. Play- 

 ford, then Premier, in October, 1888. It was introduced by the 

 Hon. Sir E. T. Smith. We only obtained a promise' "that re- 

 serves of this character will be made." The giving up of the 

 Government Farm was strongly objected to, as it was wanted for 

 workingmen's blocks, and, indeed, plans were then in the Land 

 Office to carry out this policy, which was popular at the moment. 

 Had our agitation been delayed this would without doubt have' 

 been carried out, as Mr. Walter Gooch's Act passed in 1883 neces- 

 sitated only the sanction of the Parliament. It was particularly 

 unfortunate that this Act had such a meagre scope, as in the 

 intervening five years the Forest Department cut down £800 

 worth of redgum and denuded the western portion of the Farm 

 of the magnificent trees, the growth of previous centuries, to the 

 value of £800. The next year (1889) the report of the Surveyor- 

 General said "a portion of the Government Farm with the 

 Botanical and Zoological Gardens, as well as the acclimatization 

 reserve (some 80 acres), should suffice for native fauna and flora.'' 

 On July 29, 1890, Mr. Krichanff moved for the production of the 

 Surveyor-General's Reports on National Parks. These contained 



