126 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



no reason why the Board of Agriculture should not, in 

 conjunction with an intelligent Central Authority, realise the 

 hopes which foresters in this country have so long entertained." 



Sir William Haldane. — " May I be allowed to speak, as I 

 have to leave?" 



The Chairman. — " I am afraid it is time to adjourn, but If 

 the meeting wishes to hear you, I have no doubt you will get 

 an opportunity to speak." 



Sir William Haldane. — " I will be very brief. I do not wish 

 to detain the meeting at all." 



Sir John Stirling-Maxwell. — " I would like to propose that 

 Sir William should speak now." 



Sir William Haldane. — " I feel a good deal of hesitancy under 

 the circumstances in saying much, and I shall be as brief as 

 possible, but I feel that the Commission to which I belong has 

 been attacked to-day — not, I should say, in an unfriendly way; 

 for I think Sir John withdrew or modified a good deal which 

 was apparently in his mind, and I appreciate that very much 

 indeed. But perhaps I may be allowed to make this observa- 

 tion, — Sir John seems to be under the impression that the 

 Development Commission have never had any policy with 

 regard to forestry. If there is one thing it has had a very 

 clear notion about, it is the way in which forestry in this 

 country must proceed. It has urged, as he knows, and as he 

 has told us on other occasions, primarily an educational policy, 

 but alongside that practical progress was encouraged by us 

 as much as possible, and has been up till now. It is a very 

 interesting thing, and makes it all the more pleasant for me 

 to support the resolution which Sir Andrew Agnew has 

 proposed, that in the details — I think I might say nearly all the 

 details — that came under us as Development Commissioners, 

 the Reconstruction Forestry Committee has followed on the 

 lines which we recommended, and which we have pressed from 

 time to time on the different departments of the Government. 



" Take, for instance, the leasing scheme and the proceeds- 

 sharing scheme, which Dr Greig has explained so clearly to 

 us to-day. That scheme, as most of you know, was strongly 

 advocated by the Development Commission years ago and 

 pressed on the Department. The proceeds-sharing scheme I 

 feel a certain personal interest in, because, as our Secretary, Mr 

 Galloway, was showing me the other day, it is exactly ten years 



