BUSHMEN COME TO TOWN.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20256, 27 July 1937, Page 9

BUSHMEN COME TO TOWN.

A UNIQUE DEPUTATION. THE TAKING OF GAME. One of the queerest deputations recently visited Capetown to plead its case before the Government —a party of half-naked Bushmen from tlio Kalahari Desert. The. Busmmen, who are among the ! most primitive peoples in the world, live solely on game and on wild fruits, roots and berries. The adj vance of civilisation has brought game laws to the country they inhabit and. since their ancestors knew nothing of game protection and close seasons, they are unable to understand what it* is all about. Members of the tribe arc continually being arrested for poaching. A few months ago an official half-pro-mise of immunity from arrest seemed to give them leave to kill game at will, but several of them have lately been thrown into prison Tor killing buck, and Mr. Donald Bn'n, Ihe ex- , ldorer and traveller, brought a rep- I resentative collection of them to j Capetown to interview members of the Cabinet, and plead their case. The Cabinet, especially Mr. P. W. j G. Grobler, Minister of Native j Affairs, seems lo have, been im- j pressed with the Bushmen’s case, and ! they will in future probably bo allowed ‘to kill anv game they need for j eating, provided lliev use only Ihe j how and arrow, their traditional | weapons. Meanwhile the wild, little desert people had Hie lime of their lives | sight-seeing in Capetown. They were! impressed most of all by the sea, but i their admiration faded as soon as I they discovered that Hie water was sally, and after tlie abdominal disas- | tors of a trip in a fishing boat any admiration left was transformed into violent dislike.