SOCIETYS MEETING WITH INTERIM FOREST AUTHORITY. 37 



uf policy are being carried out in the different parts of the 

 United Kingdom. I do not think it will be necessary to 

 centralise the bulk of the work in London or anything of that 

 kind, but rather we should set up a. strong Executive in Scotland 

 and satisfy ourselves that it is carrying out the policy of the 

 Authority by visits, rather than by calling all the work to come 

 before us in London. It is intended at an early date to have an 

 office in Edinburgh, and to have someone working in Edinburgh 

 who will really represent the Interim Authority here. 



" With regard to training, we have realised from Mr 

 Richardson's speech that anything with regard to the training 

 of officers is a slow and deliberate business, but I think I take 

 it from him that it is probably necessary to provide in the near 

 future in Scotland for considerably more opportunity for training 

 of foresters, and that probably private proprietors and others 

 will be wanting in the fairly near future a larger supply of trained 

 foresters than there is anything like certainty of producing. Do 

 I take it that we could probably multiply the school at Birnam 

 three or four times over without any chance of flooding the 

 market with people who will find it difficult to get employment 

 after the period of training? You approve of the Birnam 

 School, but you think that more in that direction should be 

 done?" 



Mr Richardson. — "Yes." 



Mr Acland. — " You think two years at a school as well as a 

 previous experience in connection with forestry is necessary?" 



Mr Richardson. — "I am not so much concerned about the 

 period at the school, but consider that the apprentices should 

 have three years' practical training before they are sent out 

 from the school." 



Mr Acland. — " Ought there to be opportunities for that sort 

 of course, not only for disabled or semi-disabled men but also 

 for the apprentices, and, if so, would there be a supply of these 

 young men to go through these courses if the courses are avail- 

 able? This was not previously the case. Do you think it 

 would be so now?" 



Mr Richardson. — " I think so." 



Mr Acland. — " In England courses were started for which 

 there were very few applicants." 



Mr Richardson. — " I am judging from the school started in 

 1S92." 



