178 



makes itself in the older settled and more densely populated districts severely felt, and the 

 necessity of the abolition of the old ways has led in several of the States to the adoption 

 of a stocklaw, general or optional with the various sections of the State. In South 

 Carolina the stocklaw was first optional with the counties, and after a short while its 

 benefits became so apparent that it was applied to the whole State. The violent opposi- 

 tion with which it was met by the poorer population of the low country has gradually 

 disappeared, the people becoming reconciled by its benefits, and its introduction is to be 

 regarded as a great impetus to the prosperity of the farming community. 



The reading of this report was followed by a very interesting discussion on the sub- 

 ject of forest fires. Mr. Peter White, M.P., of Pembroke, said he had given the ques- 

 tion close attention for over ten years, especially as affecting the Upper Ottawa region, 

 where he had no hesitation in saying quite as much timber was swept away by fire as 

 fell beneath the blows of the lumberman's axe. What the latter cleared might be put at 

 between twenty and thirty millions, while that destroyed by fire at certainly not less. 

 His own conviction was that the greater part of the waste was attributable to the care- 

 lessness of the sportsman and fisherman, and a very small portion of it only to those en- 

 gaged in lumbering. New settlers were also i-esponsible for a good deal of the mischief. 

 He did not doubt that the employees of lumbering firms were not always free from blame, 

 but it was absolutely to the interest of their employers to take every possible precaution to 

 save the wood in their limits. What could be done better to prevent this loss of valuable 

 property from this cause ? He understood that while in Quebec the burning of refuse 

 on timber limits in July and August was prohibited, in Ontario the time of restriction 

 was between April and November. Experience showed that the forest fires along the 

 Upper Ottawa occur between May and August, those months inclusive, and his sugges- 

 tion was to prohibit the starting of fires for clearing or other purposes within those four 

 months. He would also suggest the division of the timber lands into districts, each under 

 the guardianship of a policeman resident within it ; one duty of such functionary being 

 to visit every settler towards the close of winter, say some time in March, to give him all 

 necessary information and caution as to the requirements of the law in regard to this 

 matter. He believed there was very little incendiarism in the lumbering regions, and 

 that the bulk of the fires that occurred originated in ignorance and cai'elessness. Officials, 

 such as he had suggested, ought to keep a careful watch at all the principal avenues of 

 districts liable to be laid waste by fire. He thought that the estimate offered of the 

 loss by this cause, as compared with the product the lumbermen secured, was far too 

 moderate ; he believed it would be nearer the mark to say it was ten to one, than to 

 represent the two as approximately equal. As to precaution it might be urged that as 

 the lumbermen had so large an interest at stake, they might be looked to to provide the 

 necessary precautions. That was true in a sense, and he had no doubt that those con- 

 cerned would willingly submit to the imposition of a small tax, if necessary, for the pur- 

 pose of securing the required protection. The firm with which he himself was associated 

 had for years looked after their own interests in this matter, but it was obvious to every 

 one that it was out of the power of private individuals or business firms to act with the 

 authority and force which the Government could command. 



Mr. Wright, Mass., related his experience of the ravages of fire in the vicinity of 

 Duluth. His recommendation was that the debris which attended lumbering should be 

 cleared away, or at any rate not let lay scattered but piled up in considerable heaps. He 

 did not believe that lumbermen set fire to the forests ; they knew better than to do that, 

 but there was a certain amount of carelessness which worked a good deal of harm. 



The Hon. George Bryson, Coulonge, said : "For the last few years the majority of 

 fires in his district had occurred in May and June, and in September and October, and 

 much good might attend the adoption of the suggestion to appoint officials for patrol 

 duty through lumbering districts during these months." He agreed with what had been 

 said as to the estimate of value taken out and value destroyed being glaringly inaccurate. 

 Years ago he had stated before a committee of the House that the proportion of the latter 

 to the former was fully ten to one. 



Mr. John Dougall, of New York, said the month of May was the first month in 

 the year for forest fires, owing to the fact that at that time the ground was covered with 



