238 TRANSACTIONS OF ROVAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



practically destroyed the whole fabric of native institutions. 

 If the bill becomes law, lands might be reserved and the real 

 owner would have no right even to enter upon them without 

 incurring a penalty, neither could he grant any concession 

 without the Governor's consent, nor take any of the forest 

 produce without a Government licence. As to the alleged 

 destruction of the forests, he tjuotes the Conservator of Forests 

 as saying that the timber areas had scarcely been touched. 

 The same authority is also quoted to show that only the natives 

 can successfully develop rubber planting. This, the writer says^ 

 puts the whole case in a nut-shell. It is the native of the soil 

 who must develop the possibilities of the soil, and apart 

 from him European enterprise can do nothing ; therefore to 

 take over the management of the land from the native, and 

 convert his condition into one little better than that which at one 

 time prevailed in the Congo would be a very bad blunder. 

 The writer concludes with the following eloquent appeal : — 

 " Please recognise the rights of indigenes, please admit that 

 they have a right to an opinion in a matter in which they 

 are vitally interested. Let the principle of 'Live and let live'^ 

 be the guiding star in a constructive statesmanship, and all 

 will be well. For, as His Excellency the Governor has wisely 

 pointed out, even measure well pressed down, as between 

 European capital and native labour, thus and only thus, will 

 the land yield its increase for the betterment of all." 



The whole controversy shows, on the one hand, that the 

 natives are very jealous of their rights in their native land, and 

 very suspicious of any action taken by the Government which 

 might tend to alter or infringe upon those rights, which are sO' 

 well defined and defended by the counsel engaged on their 

 behalf — and, on the other hand, it illustrates the difficulties which 

 the Government have to deal with in trying to introduce amongst 

 natives a .system of forest management, which these natives 

 cannot understand, far less appreciate. The opinion expressed 

 by one of the counsel engaged in the case is worth recording. 

 What is rcfjuired, he said in effect, are not forest-officers to 

 manage the forests but well-trained instructors to instruct the 

 kings and chiefs in the cultivation of their land. Such forestry 

 instructors might be appointed to educate the people in scientific 

 agriculture and arboriculture. These native kings and chiefs, 

 having power under the Native Jurisdiction Ordinance to make 



