DISCUSSION. 631 



to be of economic value to New South Wales, and for other pur- 

 poses consequent thereon or incidental thereto, to be known as 

 the " Birds and Native Animals Protection and Acclimatisation 

 Act, 1906"; but until the Cabinet made it a Government 

 measure, its chance of coming into operation was remote. With 

 reference to the National Park, the speaker said that the Trustees 

 fully recognised that it was, first and last, the People's Park; that 

 they were keenly alive to the desirability of preserving the 

 native plants and animals throughout the area of 60 square miles 

 under their jurisdiction; that they had reason to be gratified not 

 only with the way in which the Park was fulfilling its purpose 

 as a sanctuary for bird and other life, but with the more 

 appreciative attitude, on the part of those who visited the Park, 

 to the main objects of the Reserve, as well as to what the Trust 

 was trying to make it. He concluded an interesting address by 

 offering the Society his hearty support. 



Mr. F. J. W. Harrison, Secretary to the Kuring-Gai Chase 

 Trust, spoke of the magnificent possibilities of the Chase, as a 

 national park and preserve, though these were not being fully 

 realised quite so rapidly as the members of the Trust wished to 

 see, partly because of the natural obstacles in the way of afford- 

 ing adequate protection to the fauna and flora with the resources 

 at their disposal; and partly because marauders were apt to take 

 advantage of this deficiency. They had a large area, about 

 35,300 acres to deal with; at present only 3,500 acres were 

 enclosed; much of it was very difficult to patrol adequately on 

 account of the physical configuration of the area; and so much 

 of it was at present unfenced. Still the Trustees were sanguine 

 as to the future of the Chase; because they were hopeful of 

 improving the existing conditions by degrees, as well as of seeing 

 a steadily growing intelligent appreciation of the right way to 

 treat a People's Park on the part of those who had access to it. 



Mr. F. Montague Rother} r , Secretary of the Animals' Protection 

 Society of New South Wales, spoke of the interest of the Society 

 which he represented, in the subject before the Meeting ; and of 

 the steps which it had already taken, or proposed to take, to 



