British Columbians Timber Commission. \ 



Final Report Urges Creation of Forestry Department and 



other Reforms. 



Thu tinal rt'port of the Koynl Coinmis- 

 nion of luquiry cm Timbor and Forestry 

 of tho proviiico of BritiHh Colutiihin is a 

 work that Iuim boon awaited with much 

 interoHt, pr«>H«»ntiii{?, as it doen, tho rosults 

 of tho doliboratioitH of that body, a£ter 

 much Hit'tiii); of the immeiiHe maH« of evi- 

 dence accuMiuhited by it tlurin^; its ses- 

 sions. Many questions of c(>nse<|uence to 

 the |)eopb> of Itritish Columbia, and gen- 

 erally to that part of the (Canadian pub- 

 lic which is interested in forestry, have 

 been taken up, and the decisions and re- 

 commeudatioiiM are of considerable mo- 

 ment. The policy recommended is one 

 whose result, if put into practice, will be 

 watched closely by forest economists gen- 

 erally, and would seem to be likely to 

 produce results considerably more favour- 

 able to the province than those attained 

 under the present system. 



The chief interest of the report centres 

 in tlie recommendations, which are here 

 quoted in full as follows: 



(1) That a complete cruise of all Crown 

 grant timber lands should be made by the 

 government; that in future the Depart- 

 ment of Forests shouhi co-operate with the 

 assessors, and that an annual return 

 should be made of the valuation of all 

 such timber lands; 



(2) That as far as possible timber lease- 

 holds shouhl be placed, upon renewal, on 

 a parity with ILi'ensed timber lands; and 

 that they should be subject to the same 

 forest regulations; 



(3) That the rate of rental and of 

 loyalty upon special license should at no 

 time be fixed in advance for more than 

 one calendar year; 



(4) That the Land Act be amended so 

 as to empower the government to grant 

 the right of cutting sawmill timber to 

 pulp lessees; and that a new form of 

 license be piovided for this purpose in the 

 manner prescribed by your commissioners; 



(5) That the same form of license as 

 that provided for pulp lessees be issued 

 to holders of tanbark leases who may de- 

 sire to cut mill timber upon their lease- 

 holds; 



(6) That the present reserve npon un- 

 alienated timberland be continued in- 

 definitely; and that when special circum- 

 stances necessitate the opening of any 

 portion of this reserve for immediate 

 operations, licenses to cut timber thereon 

 should be put up to public competition, 

 on a stum page basis; 



(7) That license** to cut timber upon 

 fractional areas adjoining, or surrounding, 

 leased or licensed timber lands, should be 

 put up to public competition and that m 

 'fractional area' be (leflned with great 

 care in the wording of the 'I.and Act'; 



(8) That the record «»f every cruise and 

 survey made by the governmiMit in tim- 

 bered areas should tte accompanietl by a 

 report concerning the suitability of the 

 land for agriculture; that the power to 

 compel license<>s to cut and remove tim- 

 ber from good land be retaine«l; and that 

 at the time of renewal the same provi- 

 sion be insert(>d in every timber lease; 



(9) That the issue of hand-loggem' 

 licenses be discontinu(>d; 



(10) That no divided interest in a spe- 

 cial timber license be recognized; 



(11) That for the convenience of hold- 

 ers one day be fixed in each month for 

 the renewal of all licenses expiring in 

 that month; 



(12) That royalty be collecte«l upon all 

 merchantable timber not removed from 

 Crown lands in the course of logging oper- 

 ations; 



(13) That operators be required to dis- 

 pose of debris; 



(14) That the protection of forests from 

 fire be undertaken by the government 

 through the agency of a permanent forest 

 organisation along the lines of the North- 

 west Mounted Police; and that it be com- 

 pulsory for all able-bodied citi/ens to as- 

 sist in this work when called upon; 



(l.^S) That the cost of fire prottH'tion be 

 shared between government and stumpagd 

 holders in the manner proposed by your 

 commissioners; 



(16) That the provincial government 

 should co-operate with the Dominion Rail- 

 way Commission; that a vigilant patrol 

 of all railway lines and inspection of 

 locomotives should be establishe«l; and 

 that all railway construction should be 

 supervised by provincial forestry officials; 



(IT) That special licensees should be 

 instructed to pro«*eed with the survey of 

 their holdings; and that all such surveys 

 should be completed not later than the 

 Slst day of December. IPl.'S; 



(18) 'That all operators should be re- 

 quired to make periodical returns concern- 

 ing their operations to the forestry ofB- 

 cials in their districts; and that the col- 

 lection of information should be under- 

 taken upon much wider lines than hitherto; 



(10) That the government should at 



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