8 



25. The pay of Forest Guards is, however, extremely low, compared 

 with the prevailing rates for labour in the district and is a direct incentive 

 to blackmailing and dishonesty. Frequent resignations amongst this 

 class of subordinates tend to add to the difficulty of protection and 

 improvement of the forest. 



Section 2. Labour supply. 



26. The greater part of the labour supply in the forests comes 

 from outside the district and is consequently unreliable ; Nooniah coolies 

 from Behar do road work and Nepalis undertake creeper cutting, line 

 clearing etc. The rates work out to about one anna per hour's work for daily 

 labour, creeper cutting is done at -/2/- an acre, earthwork 3/- to lls. 5/- 

 per 1000 cubic feet and line clearing at Re. I/- per foot wide (cleared) per 

 mile of length. Settlers have been permitted to settle down in the 

 forest and cultivate ; they supply labour at -/4/- per day and are invaluable 

 for fire protection. 



