meat lies wasting, whilst a few miles 
away the city worker finds it hard to 
pay the price to provide his family with 
all the meal they desire. As some slight 
indication of the amount of waste which 
goes on, it is estimated that probably 
half a million kangaroo and wallaby were 
killed for their fur during the last open 
season. A very small proportion of tile 
carcases of these animals would be used 
for food—either for the hunters or their 
dogs. Tlie remainder would be left to 
rot (and Incidentally increase the fly 
and other pests to the detriment of sheep 
owners and others). With proper man¬ 
agement the present condition of affairs 
would be greatly improved. The wonder 
is that such obsolete methods have been 
persisted in for so long. A country 
depends for its progress upon produc¬ 
tion, which factor may be divided up 
into five divisions. The first both from 
the primitive and evolutionary stand¬ 
point. is hunting. 
The fees obtained during the last open 
£8000. If a proportion of the fees re¬ 
ceived each year were to be set aside 
for the proper administration of hunting 
and for investigation of the native fauna 
generally, it would doubtless prove of 
great benefit to tile state. 
Our present wasteful and crude 
methods of dealing with the produce or 
hunting carry their own condemnation 
to such an extent that there is no need 
to stress this aspect of the case. Rather, 
it should be our aim by means of con 
structive criticism to bring about a 
better state of affairs. Personally, as 
a nature lover, 1 hope to see the crea¬ 
tion of more sanctuaries such as the 
National Park. Sanctuaries that ire 
effective, not ineffective, such as the 
supposed “sanctuary'’ on Freycinet. Pen¬ 
insula, on which the game is regularly 
shot and trapped. In true sanctuaries, 
undisturbed, let representatives of out 
unique fauna live their lives in peace. 
Then larger reserves, not sanctuaries, 
might be sot aside from some of the 
practically, at present, useless country. 
From the product of these the state 
would derive a permanent revenue, and 
a number of suitable men would find 
continuous employment. Under our 
present system of dealing with the hunt¬ 
ing question, larger numbers of men 
are drawn, at various times, from more 
effective means of production and the 
state’s progress therefore receives a 
check. 
Space will not permit the subject being 
fully dealt with in the present instance. 
Much propaganda work yet remains to 
be done before the country fully real¬ 
ises the economic and scientific value 
of its fauna and flora, and takes steps 
to provide for its proper management. To 
a certain extent the Forestry Depart¬ 
ment is dealing with the more apparent 
commercial side of our flora, and there 
are associations striving to improve 
conditions relating to the fauna. The 
general opinion of the great mass of 
the people is i\< yet dormant concern¬ 
ing these truly national questions. This 
needs arousing in order that, the work 
of the various groups may be co-ordin¬ 
ated under some system of Biological 
Survey so that improved conditions may 
result. The appreciation that has been 
bestowed upon the National Park gives 
rise to the hope that support will be 
forthcoming once the true state of affairs 
is realised. The National Park, as the 
first effective sanctuary on a large scale, 
established in Tasmania may in later 
years be looked upon as fhe first mile¬ 
stone along the road of improvement 
as regards the conservation of our lin 
tive fauna, a fauna of great economic 
worth and of absorbing scientific inter¬ 
est. This noble heritage is not for us 
to destroy beyond redemption, but. to act 
as guardians thereof during our brief 
earthly span, taking a fair percentage 
for the sake of our immediate profit or 
amusement, but always being careful 
to see that the claims of posterity are 
provided for. 
24 
