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APPENDIX IV. 



The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Fiji. 



Sir, Levuka, 8th November, 1878. 



I have the honour to enclose for the consideration of 

 Government rules suggested for the felling of timber on lands 

 belonging to Government. 



The conditions provide for private parties felling trees on 

 what may be termed a limited scale. However, they can be 

 applied with no alteration to the felling of oversized timber 

 on a forest block of any extent, the right to fell on which was 

 granted, on payment for the trees, to one person. Of course 

 in that case, the permit to fell the trees, as well as the agree- 

 ment, should state the time in which the trees would be felled 

 and all the timber, &c, removed from the forest. In this 

 instance the number of trees would not be stated in the 

 permit. But the trees should be counted and paid for by 

 tree — the prices varying according to kind, and as per agree- 

 ment made before the permit was granted. Good security 

 should be given for payment and proper behaviour. The 

 boundaries of the block should be mentioned in the permit. 

 Before any such extensive felling of trees was commenced all 

 conditions, &c, of agreement should be approved by Govern- 

 ment. In any case, where timber was being extensively 

 felled, the work should be overseen by a man appointed for 

 the purpose, and who would be always on the spot in the 

 forests, an<l held responsible for the operations being con- 

 ducted in a manner beneficial to the Government and the 

 future welfare of the forests. The conditions may to some 

 seem hard and onerous. When carefully examined it will be 

 seen that there is nothing in them but what a conscientious 

 man would of his own accord carry out without them. For 

 juch there would not be much need of these regulations, but 

 many consider that trees only grow to be destroyed, and that 

 without benefit to anyone. 



The severest regulation will not restrain the actions of such 

 men if the regulation be not firmly and judiciously enforced. 



