CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 29 



The difference is that on the main line there is a system of fire protection and 

 on the other line there is none, and that difference is so marked that a man riding 

 through both lines on the train and not being acquainted with the real reason would 

 wonder whether it was not a warmer climate that was the cause of the difference, but 

 those who know the country and the circumstances know perfectly well that the differ- 

 ence is due *to this fire-ranging system. 



Mr. JARDIKE. I am pleased indeed to have an opportunity to attend this meeting 

 of the association. Had it not been for the fact that Mr. Jones and myself were in 

 Ottawa on some other business we would not have had the pleasure of being with you 

 to-day, and taking part in these proceedings. 



I must say at once that I did not expect to be called upon to say anything. I 

 merely came down as a sort of bodyguard to my friend Leamy. 



I have much pleasure in adding my testimony to what has been said by the pre- 

 vious speakers in regard to the invaluable services that Mr. Leamy and his staff of 

 fire rangers have rendered to the timber industry in what is called the ' twenty mile 

 belt.' The firm with which I am connected has a certain area within this belt, but the 

 greater part of their land is outside of rt, an the province. I think >the time is not far 

 distant when the government of British Columbia and the legislators there will awake 

 to the fact that the timber of the province is a valuable asset, and I believe the time 

 is not far distant when we will have all over the province this system of fire ranging, 

 which will look after the timber interests of the country. 



As has already been said, there were some very large and serious fires last year 

 along the coast. We, among others, suffered somewhat, but having a great number of 

 men in our camps we were able to protect our timber to a certain extent, and as a 

 result we did not lose as much as we otherwise would have lost. 



I do not know that I can say anything more to you, gentlemen. The speakers 

 who have preceded me have said it all, and there is nothing left for me to add. 



We have a province out there of which the twenty mile belt is only a very small 

 portion. I have heard it said that you could drop Ontario and the maritime provinces 

 into the province of British Columbia, and that you would still have something left, 

 and if it was rolled out you could turn Manitoba and the Territories into it. It is a 

 vast area to cover, and no doubt it will take some money to protect the timber properly, 

 but I suppose the men who hold that timber will be glad to go down into their pockets 

 and assist the government in carrying out the good work. I do not know what scheme 

 has been formulated, but I believe there is something on the tapis looking towards the 

 proper protection of the timber outside of the twenty mile belt. 



Mr. STEWART. When I undertook this work in reference to the protection of our 

 timber we had the example of the provinces as to the system of fire ranging, but we had 

 to follow it under conditions that were peculiar to the territory. Most of the provinces, 

 especially Ontario and Quebec, have a very large pojtion of their territory under license, 

 and it was their system to have the lumbermen appoint the rangers and pay one-half 

 of the cost. 



