MANUAL LABOUR. 169 



and obtains a small percentage of the total payment for 

 doing so. 



The connection of the woodcutters with one another varies 

 in different places, depending partly on the possibility of 

 carrying out the organisation already described, and partly on 

 local laws regarding workman and employer. It is often very 

 difficult to enforce penalties against the woodcutter for non- 

 fulfilment of the contract, or agreement, made between him 

 and the forest-owner, although it may be advisable if possible 

 to secure such an agreement. Whether an agreement is made 

 with all woodcutters or with some of them only, or with the 

 foreman on behalf of the other men, depends on the particular 

 class of labourers to be dealt with. Woodcutters may be 

 classified as follows : 



(b) Non-Associated Woodcutters. Where forest blocks 

 are found scattered amongst agricultural lands, forestry is 

 only an accessory means of employment for the people, and 

 no regular gang of woodcutters exists. The men engaged for 

 forest- work are a motley crew following all callings and with- 

 out any connection with one another. The attachment binding 

 the woodcutter to the forest is in such cases generally of the 

 slightest kind, and even if a legal act of agreement be made 

 between him and the forest-owner, it will be only of a tem- 

 porary nature, depending on his own interest and liking for 

 the work. In this class there is no association between the 

 different woodcutters, each man works independently of the 

 others, or they may work in pairs in the case of sawyers. 

 Very often such a gang of woodcutters is composed of quite 

 different individuals at the close of a felling to those who 

 commenced work on the same area. In such cases, if the 

 forest-manager wishes to secure attention to the most neces- 

 sary protective rules, he must make a separate agreement 

 with every labourer. 



(c) Associated Labour. In extensive forest districts in 

 plains and mountains the conditions of labour differ greatly 

 from the above. The chief means of livelihood of the inhabi- 

 tants are then obtained from the forest and the work it affords ; 

 the people consider it an honour for a man to be employed in 

 the forest, and forest work is preferred to all others which 



