Canadian Forestry Magazine, November, ig20 



501 



Photo by A. P. Low, Geological Survey. 

 Labrador : The mouth of the Wiachouan River, Richmond Gulf. As the accompanying article by Dr. 

 Grenfell explains clearly, the timber lies in pockets, some representing quite heavy stands, but not near 

 the coast. Recently, Labrador has come into the limelight as a possible source of new pulpwood supplies. 



there. One doctor, who came to us from 

 Uganda, put on over 14 pounds weight 

 during the winter. 



Problems of the People. 

 The occupations of our people at pre- 

 sent are seasonal. Neither fur nor fish 

 can be considered a constant harvest. 

 The fur is apt to run in cycles, the foxes 

 and their food, the mice, disappearing for 

 a couple of years simultaneously ; so that, 

 as is the case this year, we know the 

 hunt will be small and there will be short- 

 age and possible hunger on the coast. 

 Similarly with the Cod ; some years they 

 fail to reach into the land, they and the 

 bait fish, called Caplin, being simultan- 

 eously missing along certain sections of 

 the Coast. We believe this depends en- 

 tirely upon the local temperature of the 

 water, whether due directly to the winds 

 or indirectly to ice movements, the dif- 

 ference of one degree we think makes a 

 difference to the bait fish which lure the 

 cod to the shore wIumi they (C'aplinI 

 come to s])awn. Thai these wage giving 

 in'ustries should he introduced is tliere- 

 fore of the utmost imi)ortance as far as 

 the welfare of the Coast is concerned. 



and we. who live there, most earnestly 

 hope that the boundary question may 

 soon be settled, that proper grants be 

 issued to encourage operators and that 

 tlie laws concerning grants be rigidly en- 

 forced. At present, one of the great 

 hardships, and one that is very materially 

 alTecting the population is the fact that 

 the residents of the Coast may not start 

 even small lumber mills because jirovis- 

 ional grants have been made of practic- 

 ally all the available countr\- lo com- 

 panies who do not work the area, but 

 continue to hold the rights in spite of 

 existing laws to the contrary. Most of 

 these holders have done nothing for the 

 country, do not li\c in the country, and 

 simply have taken up the rights in the 

 hope of selling them for personal gain. 

 .Several grants haw already been sold 

 and resold, but ne\er yet worked and 

 show no signs of commencing. In these 

 da\s of ever-increasing industrial un- 

 rest this t'onn ot' proliteering is a con- 

 stant source ot' irritation to the laboring 

 ]K'ople and is un(|uestionably a factor that 

 makes for unreasoning resentment to all 

 law ami order. 



