670 
THE TKOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April 1, 1903. 
ignoranse oi the previous hiatory oi asy question at 
issue, upset any annul measureB that had been 
decided upon after mature consideration by those 
active members whose attendance was regular and 
continuous ; and as the status and usefulnesB of 
the Society depends much on its 'consistency 
in its relations with Government there would be the 
fear of loss of influence in that quarter. The rule 
prohibiting shooting sambur and spotted deer in the 
Hill Reserves was again brought up and the following 
resolution was carried. : — " That the present rule 
prohibiting all shooting of game above 4,000 feet 
should be altered in accordance with the resolution 
passed at last meeting, viz.—" That when registered 
packs are hunted, the killing of sambur be confined to 
stalkirig with the rifle at any elevation and to killing 
with the knife and hound," At the General Committee 
mteiing held on the '20: h fciepteniber which was but 
poorly a.tiended, M>-f^fV!: C 0 Wilson and M J Kensway 
were addtd to the Conjmittte. At the same time 
correspondence with the Hon the Colonial Secretary 
on the Eubjeot of shooting in the Hill reserves and 
conditions to be attached to game licenses was sub- 
mitted with a copv of contiitiona psoposed by the 
Hoi.'. Secreiary. They were as follows . — 1. Shoot- 
ing at right, arid littting are ptohibited. 2. This 
license is not transfurabie. ",. Hani.i!?g by men in gangs 
carrying ttickf or gncs, with or without dogt-, is pro- 
hibited, -i. Shoi;t.mg i'.lk arid, spotted dter within 
the Hill reserves Kbove -1,000 feet is psohibited, except 
with the permission of Government in writing. The 
only modes of hunting elk and spotted deer within 
such reserves, is hunting with dogs, to the knife and 
killing with the rifle. I greatly regret that through 
inadvertence on my part the words ''above 4,000" 
instead of at any elevation were inserted in condition 
Ko. 4. This was most unfortunately not noticed at 
the meeting. I say unfortunately because it has 
given rise to some discontent as well as charges of 
want of bona fides on the part of the committee. It 
certainly on the face of it appeared that the com- 
mittee had acted in an arbitrary and unwarrantable 
manner, in upsetting a resolution passed at two gene- 
ral meetings, and 1 took upon myself the whole onus 
of this inadvertence and trust that the explanation 
will be accepted in the same spirit in which it is 
made. However, the following letter from the Hon. 
the Colonial Secretary will show that the conditions 
proposed by all were not acceptable to Government 
m their entirety and it will now be competent for 
me to propose that the words at any elevation be sub- 
stituted for above 4,000 feet ; — 
' No, 017&38 — Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo, 
28th October, 1902. 
Sir, — With reference to your letter dated 27th ultimo, 
submitting for approval conditions proposed to be 
noted on the back of licenses to kill game, I am directed 
to state that there is no objection to conditions 1 and 2 
being endorsed on the license the sections of the 
ordinance 12 or 10 of 1891 and 11 of ordinance 10 of 
1891 under which these rules are framed being in- 
serted in brackets. I am to point out that condition 
'' 3" cannot be adopted, as there would be legal 
difliculty in exac'ily defining the term gang and in 
distinguishing a gang from a legitimate shooting. In 
condition " 4," it will be necessary to insert " sam- 
bur " for "elk," and it is suggested that the con- 
dition may read thus ; — " This license does not 
authorise the holder to shoot or attempt to shoot 
RDmbur or spotted deer at any place above the eleva- 
tion of 4,C0i> feet, otherwise than stalking with the 
rifle when (he holder has obtained pei mission in 
writing from the Government Agent for the purpose. 
— 1 am to invite you to be good enough to reconsider 
the lulos and to state that on your furtiishing me 
with revised roles to obviate the difficulties pointed 
out, they will bo con.^idered by Government. — I am, 
Sir, your obedient sorvant, 
E. R. CuMiiERLAND, for Colonial Secretary. 
Thomas Farr, Esq., Hon. Secretary, Ceylon Game 
Protection Society, ^|orth Cove, Bogawantalawa. 
The meeting requested the Honorary Secretary to 
endeavour to ascertain from the Government Agent, 
Sabragamnwa how the two watchers of the Meda and 
Kadawatte Korles were being employed and to obtain 
a return of cases instituted. The following letter in 
reply to the Government Agent, Sabragamuwa and 
the annexed return of cases were received by me in 
due course : — 
No. 141. Nov. 10, 1902. 
In reply to letter from Government Agent, Sabra- 
gamuwa. — The two watchers are employed in the 
Kadawatte and Meda Korale under my own supervi- 
sion. Tbey are for the most part engaged in going 
about the country lying between the Walaway on the 
North and East' Balangoda and Welegepola on the 
West and Atakalan Eorale on the South where game 
is plentiful and where years before elk and spotted 
deer used to be killed by the hundred. This being 
dense jungle with small viil.iges situated here and 
there watching is lalher difficult. But it is a fact 
admitted that killing game is certainly reduced by 
nine-tenths from what is was five years back. I do 
not as a rule prosecute at the instance of the watchers 
alone when I do get information I hold an enquiry 
and get the chance to woik up the esses. The 
watchers presence in the District act as a pieveuiiou 
to a great degree. ('Signed, j S. D. M-iHAWALATEMsi;, 
Return of cases iubtituteu uii.{ier the game i;roi,ec- 
tion Ordinance, 
No, 20,747 6th June, 1901, killing game without 
license S. D. Mahawalatenne, R. M., M Dingirihamy 
fined R5.— No. 20,884 5th July, 1901, killing game 
without license S D Mahawalatenne, R.M. Mudalihamy 
and 2 others acquitted and discharged. — No. 22,362 
12th October, 1901, having meet of game during 
close season S D Mahawalatenne, R.M., M Mothahamy 
accused under concealment. — No. 22,580 8th November, 
1901, killing an elk without license S. D. Maha- 
walatenne, R. M., V K A Kiri Menika accused dis- 
charged.— No. 22,579 8th November, 1901, killing an 
elk without license S. D. Mahawalatenne, R, M., ac- 
cused discharged.— 1902 nil. 
Taking into consideration the circumstances re- 
vealed by the letter I considered myself justified in 
discontinuing the services of those two watchers forth- 
with. It will be noted that no cases have been 
instituted since November 1901, and the presumption 
is that the villagers in those two Eorales, are such 
beformed characters that to watch them further would 
be to insult their respectability. Owing to the close 
season for game in the Eastern Province having 
been attended withoot reference to this Society. 
I was requested to approach Government upon the 
subject, and received the following reply from the 
Hon. the Colonial Secretary; — 
No. 017337. Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo 
October 6th. ' 
Sir,— In reply to your letter of the 27th September, 
1902, 1 am directed by His Excellency the Lieutenant' 
Governor to inform you that the Game Protection 
Society will be informed before any alteration is 
made of the proclaimed close season in any Province. 
— I am Sir, yours obedient servant (Signed) a' 
Clayton, for Colonial Secretary. 
Thomas Farr Esq., Honorary Secretary, Game 
Protection Society. 
The Government Agent of the Eastern Province hag 
since kindly furnished me with the following parti- 
culars ; — 
No. 336. Batticaloa Eachcheri, Sept, I3tb, 1902. 
Sir,— Referring to your letter dated 6th instant I 
have the honour to inform you that the close season 
for deer in this Province is from 1st June to 31st 
August for the current year. Please see my notice 
dated the Jlth March last in Government Gazette 
No. .5838 of 22nd idem. It is the same as that for the 
Southern Province and Wixs declared by one under 
Section 13 (1) of Ordinance 10, of 1891, No close 
season is provided for the shooting of Elephants or 
Buffaloes under the Game Ordinsiuce of 1891, Govera- 
