PKOCEEDIKGS. 7 ( J 



2. The Chief Commissioner observes from tho repot of the discussion at the 

 meeting of the Society on the oth March, which you hare forwarded for his information 

 that the main objection taken to the rules was the supposed incidence of the scale 

 of fees. It had already come to Mr. Mackenzie's notice that there was misunder- 

 standing upon this point; and as it never was his intention to throw unnecessary 

 difficulties in the way of bond fide sport, he had, before your letter readied him, directed 

 the preparation of an addendum to tho rules as originally issued pioviding for tho 

 levy of reasonable fees upon term permits, and making it clear that beatc.sand 

 camp followers did not come withiu the purview of the rules. These additions 

 rules were pub ished in the Central Provinces' Gazette of the 9th March, aud I am to 

 refer your Society to notification 1595 of that date. (Copy enclosed.) 



3. This practically disposes of the difficulty raised at the meeting of jour Society; 

 but as the members are anxious to know the principal objects with which the 

 rules have been framed, I am to communicate the following remaiks for thei r 

 information ; — 



4. The forests of the Central Provinces aro, generally speaking, in a very back- 

 ward and unsatisfactory condition. They have been seriously injured by indiscri- 

 minate felling during many generations, aud require the most careful treatment and 

 conservancy to restore them to anything like a healthy state. The efforts of the 

 department to foster natural reproduction are, however, constantly frustrated by 

 the occurrence of extensive fires, which are frequently no doubt kindled and spread 

 by local graziers with a view to clearing the ground for fresh grass, hut are ruinous 

 to the young forest growth. Large sums are now spent annually on measures of fire 

 protection in the more valuable blocks; and as funds become available and the local 

 establishments are organized, the fire protected area will be year by year extended. 

 The Chief Commissioner has withiu the last two years taken steps to impress upon 

 owners of land near the Government forests their responsibility under the law for 

 doing nothing to carry the risk of fire into or near the forests. But his efforts in thh 

 direction and the work of the forest establishments have frequently been frustrated 

 by the breaking ou*; of fires within the forest blocks themselves ; and it is a fact that 

 these fires have in more than one instance boen coincident both as to time and place 

 "with the movements of shooting parties within the reserves. It may be that the 

 sporLsmen or their followers were not directly responsible for the mischief done, 

 though a partially extinguished camp fire, or even the careless throwing away of a 

 match or the end of a lighted cheroot, would, in these extremely dry districts, bo 

 enough to start a smouldering, which the least wind would fan into a fire beyond all 

 human control. But the fact remains that if fire protective measures are to have 

 any effect, the more valuable blocks must at certain seasons be absolutely closed 

 to outsider, or admission must only be granted under close supervision and suitable 

 restiictions. There are, however, thousands of square miles of reserves to whioh in 

 their present state sportsmen may be admitted more freely ; but experience has shown 

 that it is eve - y where desirable to know what persons are worry ng about the forests 

 at any given time, and this knowledge can only be secured by a fystem of permits. 



5. I am to remind the Society that it is not only gentlemen of the status of its 

 members who seek to exploit the game of the Central Provinces forests. They are 

 infested by gangs of native shikarees from all parts of India, whom it is at present 

 impossible to tr.ice and identify in the event of enquiry being necessary regardin" 

 any of their proceedings. Government rules oanuot discriminate between sportsirea 

 of different nationalities or grades of society. 



