4 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT 



/ 



Dr. J.c. Brown 26. Mr. CockJ] Would that apply also to large trees out 

 Aug. 14, 1865. of which beams and planks are cut ? It is not impossible to 

 carry out such a measure, but it would be difficult. It is very 

 desirable that the forest-rangers should mark the trees to be 

 cut down ; but that, at present, is found to be almost imprac- 

 ticable ; and it would add to the difficulty if he had not only 

 to mark the tree, but to calculate the measurement of it. I 

 should also anticipate unceasing disputes between the ranger 

 and the wood-cutter in respect to the measurement. 



27 Chairman.] What is the entire revenue derived from 

 the forests ? It appears to have been last yenr under 275. 



28. Mr. Wicht.] And what is paid to the rangers? 

 iSomething under 1,000. The revenue is something under 

 275 over the expenses of conservation and rangers. The 

 expense of conservation of the George forests was last year 

 about 65 over the revenue, and that is the case with others. 

 The Knysna forest and that of the Tzitzkamma are those 

 from which alone a free revenue appears to be derived. 



29. Chairman.] Has there been any alteration with 

 regard to revenue during the last few years ? About three 

 years ago the amount of proceeds was about 750, now it is 

 less than 275. 



30. Mr. Busk] Can you suggest any mode by which the 

 waste, an instance of which you have quoted, can be preven- 

 ted in future ? In my original report, already referred to, 1 

 suggest that encouragement should be given to private parties 

 to erect saw-mills ; the encouragement I contemplate being, 

 granting to them for a definite period of considerable 

 duration the exclusive privilege of cutting timber in a 

 well-defined locality of considerable extent, upon terms satis- 

 factory to all concerned, satisfactory to them and remuner- 

 ative to the community for what is cut down or otherwise 

 destroyed. 



31. Chairman.'] In your opinion, have the forests increased 

 or diminished within these last few years in size? They 

 are being considerably diminished. 



