MODERN FOREST ECONOMY. 127 



interest ID keeping all right, which otherwise they would 

 not have.' 



The Commissioners then proceed to report seriatim on 

 the points already submitted to them for a report. 



The report was made, accompanied by certain reserva- 

 tions made by one of the Commissioners, whose opinion 

 was in favour of granting certain privileges to proprietors 

 of mines and manufactories as required by the circum- 

 stances of the country. He was of opinion that the import 

 tax was not sufficient to enable such to compete satisfac- 

 torily with foreign parties, and that protective duties were 

 unjust in principle, taxing the consumer for the benefit of 

 the manufacturer the many for the benefit of the few. 

 He argued that if such required firewood or charcoal, and 

 had it not in forests belonging to them, they would be 

 crippled in their operations, and so crippled that capitalists 

 would not engage in such operations, and the country 

 would suffer from the non-employment of the population, 

 and the non-development of the resources of the people 

 and of the land ; and that wardens might be employed 

 in such numbers and of such a character that they would 

 prevent the abuses which might be made of privileges 

 granted to such. 



Again, as it was forest conservation, and not forest 

 extension, which was required, he considered the number 

 of foresters employed too high, as Forest- Wardens and not 

 Forest-Masters were the officials whose services were 

 needed ; and in accordance with these views he counselled 

 the extension of some of the forest revieren, or districts, 

 which were specified, instead of the division of others 

 which were specified as being too extensive. 



And he recommended measures to secure the cultiva- 

 tion of good soil, wherever found, and the letting of such 

 ground in Crown forests, though involving the destruction 

 of trees, as whatever might be the value of forest products 

 in the central districts, this could not stand comparison 

 with the products of agricultural labour. 

 To this report of the Commissioners were attached 



