Historic Permit To Gather Wild Flowers in South Africa

Forest and Bird, Issue 178, 1 November 1970, Page 15

Historic Permit To Gather Wild Flowers in South Africa

ANYONE who had the urge to gather wild flowers on Crown land on Table Mountain,

Cape of Good Hope, last century had to have a signed permit to do so, as is shown by the permit reproduced at right.

This permit was found recently by Mr A. H. Hill, of the New Zealand Forest Service, when going through the papers of a deceased uncle.

On the back of the permit were some unequivocal conditions governing the taking of the flowers. Far more severe were the penalties laid down for forest offences, which also were printed on the back of the form:

N.B. —In accepting this permit the holder or holders undertake not to gather flowers which are not at least partly open, nor to remove or disturb any bulbs or roots. For this purpose the stems of the flowers must not be pulled out of the ground, but should be cut with a knife or other cutting instrument; or when brittle, broken or pinched off without injuring the roots or lower leaves.

The following provisions of the Law in respect to Forest Offences in Undemarcated Forests, is republished for the information of Permit holders: —

Forest Offences in Undemarcated Forests.

16. Any person who commits any of the following offences in an undemarcated forest shall be liable to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceed-

ing twelve months, or to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds with the alternative of imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding six months unless such fine be sooner paid, or to both such fine and such first-mentioned imprisonment. In the case of offences against sub-sections (u) and (e) corporal punishment in any number of lashes or cuts not exceeding twenty-five may be added to or substituted for the said punishments or any of them:

(a) Cuts, injures, or removes, any reserved tree or timber;

(b) In violation of any regulations made by the Governor in thar forest cuts, injures, takes, destroys or removes wattles or saplings;

(c) Lights or kindles, or assists to light or kindle, or aids or abets another in lighting or kindling any fire whether within or within twenty yards of such forest in consequence of the lighting or kindling of which any tree or part thereof or any timber or forest produce shall be burnt or injured or shall be in danger of being burnt or injured. (J) Leaves, without taking due precautions against its spreading or causing injury, a fire lighted or kindled by him or in the lighting or kindling of which he has assisted or aided and abetted.