THE CENTRAL FOREST AUTHORITY. 151 



Mr W, H. Menmuir, Edinburgh. — " I rise to move an amend- 

 ment. This meeting should have been called to discuss the 

 question of a Central Authority, instead of putting this resolution 

 before us to be voted on by a yes or no. As Sir Hugh Shaw- 

 Stewart made a certain number of remarks in favour of a 

 Central Authority, I may be permitted to make a few remarks 

 against it. This question of a Central Authority for the three 

 countries is of great importance to Scotsmen, because I am 

 rather afraid it would mean that the Central Authority would 

 be in England, presumably London. Now, if we are to have a 

 Central Authority for forestry at all, it ought to be in Scotland, 

 a National Authority. We have to take into consideration the 

 different climatic conditions, the different system of land tenure, 

 the crofting element, and the different kinds of trees that we 

 grow here. We must certainly have not only an Administrative 

 Authority in Scotland but an Executive. When we talk about 

 Central Authorities we must, at the present moment, use the 

 word English, because, although the term of Central Authority 

 has been used, it actually means English Central Authority." 



Sir Hugh Shaw-Stewart. — " I never said a word which would 

 lead to that conclusion. It is quite different to what I intended." 



Mr Menmuir. — "Well, I withdraw that, but it leads one to 

 infer it. However, putting that aside, I think we have 

 sufficient experience of English Central Authorities in railways, 

 education, and tramways. I beg to move ' That a Central 

 Forest Authority be appointed in Scotland for Scotland, a 

 Scottish National Authority.' " 



Mr W. E. White, Hamilton, said:—" I do not think Sir Hugh 

 has shown any good reason why we should not have an 

 authority in Scotland. Scotland will be swept aside between 

 England and the other countries." 



Sir Hugh Shaw-Stewart. — "What I was arguing was that 

 Mr Bromley, in his Minority Report, while he does not advocate 

 a Central Authority, advocated a Joint Committee, which he 

 called a Central Committee." 



Mr White. — "I understood you were in favour of a Central 

 Authority to deal with forestry matters for the three countries, 

 but no separate authority for Scotland. Is this Central Authority 

 to have control of forestry in Great Britain and Ireland to the 

 exclusion of every other?" 



Sir Hugh Shaw-Stewart. — "It is to be supreme, but there is 



