858 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [June 1, 
THE CEYLON GAME PROTECTION 
SOCIETY MEETING. 
This was held in the Nuweira Eliyo Baard Room 
shortly after the Keauel Uliib meetiuf^. 
Those present were the Hon. Mr J N Camp- 
bell, Messrs. A S Colls, Frank J Hadden, H G 
Speoce, C H B .got, H H. Uliverson, E J S 
Browne, H W Dickson, John Friiser, C G 
Wood, C C Met be: I, A Huisc, J VVickwar and 
Thos. Farr, Secretary. 
The Secretary opened the meeting by stating 
the ditiiculoy, almost aa impossibility, ot securing 
a conviction under the present game laws, which 
they met today to reconsider ; unless a poacher 
was caiight red-handed, no results followed, how- 
ever weighty the circumstantial evidence might 
be against him. Mr C H Bagot gave several 
personal experiences and Major Gordon Reeves 
wrote to the Secretary, giving an instance in 
which a delinquent, who admitted to the Magis- 
trate having killed a Sambur and sold the 
remnants for K35, was only fined K2'o0. The 
presiding Magistrate's name and particulars were 
uuaninrjusly voted to be called for, The Chairman's 
name was called for before the business of the 
meeting could be gone into. Messrs. Spence and 
Bagot were generally called for but the former 
declined and die latter refused to act. — Mr. Brown, 
proposed by Mr. Oliversou, was tiien unanimously 
voted to the chair when the business of the 
meeting wu,s gone* into : — The minutes of last 
meeting were confirmed. 
THE IMPORTATION OF ANTELOPE. 
A. long correspondence on the subject was read 
and owing to the ditliculty of catching these it 
was decided to leave the matter in abeyance. 
MR. BAGOT'S RESOLUTION 
Was to the effect chat no killing of game 
should lake place within limioed hours 
and that even an attempt to shoot at animals 
within the meaning of the Ordinance should be a 
penal ofi'euce and that the possession of fresh meat 
of game should be punishable, the proof of legal 
possession being on the possessor. 
RESOLUTION BY MR FARR. 
" That the only way out of the difficulty would 
be for Government to proclaim all forest, and this 
was stated by an officer of the Crown to be keenly 
felt to be a likely necessity by Government and a 
step to be approved of by their agents." 
BRANCH ASSOCIATIONS, 
Originating in districts or provinces in which the 
Government Agents might be induced to take their 
share in proiccting tlie game of the country, 
were warmly supported. 
THE QUESTION OF WATCHERS. 
This was the subject of some discussion as to 
whether they were " To be or not to be." On Mr. 
Brown's motion these were considered advisable, if 
not necesaary, in the Bintenne district, towards 
the support of which the Club has been paying 
K30 a month, the R M of the districts reporting 
very goaU record of services. 
Ml. 0 H liAGOr, addressing the meeting on 
the difficulty of procuring a conviction, though 
convincing evidence was adduced, wished to ask 
the Society to call the attention of Government 
to the follosvirig rule :— " Tuat it shall not be 
lawful tor any person to shoot at any game, un- 
less trespassing in or upon any cultivated land, 
alter dark and before daylight." That the 
Ordinance 10 of 1891, section 12, did not provid 
sufficient protection for the preservation of ga-nu 
insomuch as poachers could proceed into Crowi 
forests and kill game between the hours o 
night, and not be responsible unless actually 
caught in the act. This was the speaker's 
point of conteDtiou and all (the Press 
included) were asked to support the speaker's 
resolution to the tff'ec" that the game iaws sfiould 
be revised as resjrvrds the rules referred to. 
Mr. Thus. Faur dwelt on the difficulty aris- 
ing between the iicenst-d and unlicensed sportsman. 
It was absolutely impossible to catch the former 
red-handed, the Ordinance being useless unless 
Government stretched a point in accordance with 
Mr. Bagot's suggestion. 
Mr. C H Bagot in further support of the preced- 
ing suggestion said that "attempts" to shoot would 
strengthen the Ordinance, his speech being to the 
effect that the poacher could not always be seen to 
hit the game and that he could disclaim all 
knowledge of its having been slain. Mr Bagot 
said that he once met a party with guns and 
dogs hunting in the forest above the Nuwara Eliya 
Brewery; but, though prosecuted before the >l uwara 
Eliya court, they were acquitted, no doubt owing 
to the weakness of the legislation. Referring to 
the fourth clause of No. 10 of 1891 on 
THE POSSESSION OF FRESH MEAT, 
Mr Bagot stated that watchers and aratchis 
should be empowered to prosecute, but that recent 
cases, to his knowledge, had been dismissed owing 
to technicalities. 
The Secretary, in support of Mr. Bagot's 
statement, gave 
MAJOR GORDON REEVES' EXPERIENCES. 
A kangani of his was ^jrosecuted for killing an 
qVk. The Ratemahatmaya, Korale, andArachchi 
were interested and even a high Civil Servant was 
connected iji the prosecution. The defendant, re- 
plying to the Magistrate stated that thevalue of elk, 
which he admitted to have been killed, was K3'o0 
but, on being questioned, stated he had sold the 
remainder of the carcase for R35, though he kad 
made sundry presents to gentlemen of the district. 
Ne'^'ertheless an 
INADEQUATE SENTENCK 
was pronounced, the fine inflicted being only 
K2'50. 
The meeting clamorously called for the name 
of the Magistrate and particular.^, which the 
Secretary whs subsequently authorised to ask 
for, and censure was proclaimed against those 
who should have known better than accept 
such presents, thus conniving at such delin- 
quencies as the Society was so strenuously 
fighting against. It showed a sorry want of 
true sport on the part ot those who accepted, 
and their names were much in demand, which, 
if they had been forthcoming, would have re- 
ceived a vote of censure. 
THE WANT OF ADEQUATE LEGISLATION. 
A prolonged discussion followed on this ques- 
tion which fully proved the weakness of the 
Ordinance applying to the possession of fresh 
meat. It was resolved that anyone in posses- 
sion of fresh meat should be compelled to prove 
legal ownership. 
BRANCH ASSOCIATIONS. 
These were agreed upon to be productive of 
Mduch good and, in connection with the several 
roposed Sister-Bvanches, Mr Shand of Cool- 
