DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1947 109 



DIMSION OF LAW 



The primar\- duties of the Di\ision are as indicated in the Administrati\e 

 Chart. 



As a result of the pre\ious Department of (lame and Fisheries cominy 

 under the administration of the Department of Lands and Forests, as the Di\i- 

 sion of Fish and W'ildhfe, the work of the Law Division was considerabh- in- 

 creased. The Game and Fisheries Act, 1946, is a revision of the Act which 

 formerly was in effect, and considerable time was necessary in connection with 

 the preparation of the many regulations which are required under the provisions 

 of the Act. 



Amendments were made to ten Acts governing the administration of the 

 Department, and The Forest Management Act was created. This Act permits 

 the Minister to require timlier operators on Crown land to submit estimated 

 inventories of the timber on the cutting-area respecting age, species, size and 

 type, and management plans concerning the utilization of the timber. 



An amendment to The Townsites Act pro\ides that the Crown shall not 

 claim any percentage of land in a subdi\ision plan of land which has been patented 

 for upwards of fixe years prior to the time of making the subdivision. 



An amendment to The Crown Timber Act permits the Minister, with the 

 appro\'al of the Lieutenant-Go\ernor in Council, to enter into long-term timber 

 concession agreements concerning all species of timl^er. 



An amendment to The Cullers Act allows the Lieutenant-Governor in 

 Council to make regulations with respect to standardization of the measurement 



of timber cut on Crown lands. 



An amendment to The Pul)]ic Lands Act allows the issue of letters patent 

 to the widow of a locatee. 



During the year, the policN' of dealing with trespass cases, where a person 

 committing a trespass had no authority to cut, by laying a charge of theft ot 

 trees under the Criminal Code, was actively followed. In the majority of such 

 charges convictions were made, and it is felt that this polic}' will reduce unauthor- 

 ized timber-cutting. 



The following is a recapitulation of charges laid under the Criminal Code 

 and for offences against provincial statutes and regulations: 



Acts Charges Convictions Acquittals 



Game andl'ishcrics .\ct 1,510 1,433 77 



Forest hires IVevention Act 17 14 3 



Provincial Parks Act 2 2 



Crown Timber Act 1 1 



During the year one timber concession agreement and two supplementar>- 

 agreements concerning main agreements pre\ iousl>' in force were prepared. 



Various field trips were made by the Chief of the Dixision to District 

 Offices concerning matters requiring legal attention. 



