THE USE BOOK. 291 



The requirements of that paragraph and of the act of June 

 11, 1906. extend only to unsurveyed lands and to parts of lotted 

 subdivisions of surveyed sections which are not rectangular, 

 and not to platted subdivisions or aliquot parts of such platted 

 subdivisions as are rectangular. 



Very respectfully, FRED DENNETT, 



Commissioner. 

 Approved: March 12, 1908, 

 FRANK PIERCE, 



First Assistant Secretary. 



REGULATIONS GOVERNING HEARINGS RESPECTING CLAIMED RIGHTS 

 UNDER THE PUBLIC LAND LAWS WITHIN NATIONAL FORESTS. 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 



GENERAL LAND OFFICE, 



June 26, 1907. 

 To Registers and Receivers and 



Special Agents of the General Land Office: 

 The following circular is substituted for circular of May 3, 

 1907: 



1. A Government officer in charge of any National Forest may 

 initiate a contest or other proceedings before the Land Depart- 

 ment respecting the unlawful occupation or use of land within 

 a National Forest by reason of a claim made thereto under 

 any of the public land laws. 



2. As a basis for such proceeding, such officer shall file, in 

 the local land office for the district in which the lands involved 

 are located, a complaint signed by him in his official capacity, 

 but not under oath or corroborated, setting forth facts respect- 

 ing the alleged unlawful occupation or use of the public lands. 



3. Upon filing of a sufficient complaint in any case in which 

 final certificate has not issued, the register and receiver will 

 issue a notice, with a copy of such complaint attached thereto, 

 to the defendant, notifying him that unless he, within thirty 

 days from the receipt of such notice, files in their office a denial 

 or answer to such charges in writing and under oath, the truth 

 of such charges will be taken as confessed by him, and any en- 

 try, filing, or claim asserted to such land, under the land laws 

 by such party, may be declared forfeited or canceled without 

 further notice to him. 



4. When a complaint has been filed respecting any claim 

 upon which final certificate has issued, or where denial under 

 oath is filed in answer to a notice issued under the preceding 

 paragraph, the same will be at once forwarded to the Com- 

 missioner of the General Land Office, and the further progress 



