(2) MANAGEMENT OF THE TIMBER LANDS OF ONTARIO. 



Previous t<> June 13th, 18 r >6, applications for license to cut timber on the 

 < Yo\vn hinds wen.* mule t<> the several Crown timber agents, who might grant 

 such privileges upon payment at the rate of 2s. 6d. ($0.50) per square mile 

 annually, payable in advance. These leases expired on the 30th of April in each 

 year, and might be renewed before the 1st of July following. The changes since 

 introduced are described by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in a statement 

 prepared for the information of the then Premier of the Province of Quebec in 

 1877, a manuscript copy of which has been furnished us, as follows : On the 13th 

 of June, 1866, prior i-egulations were superseded, and the clause respecting 

 licenses to cut timber was modified, so that instead of agents granting them on 

 application it was provided that such vacant berths as the Commissioner of Crown 

 Lands saw fit should be offered at public auction, to be held half-yearly in 

 each timber agency on the 10th of July and 10th of January, or such other 

 dates as the Commissioner might think proper to fix by public notice, at au 

 upset price of $4 per square mile, or such rate as he might fix by such 

 notice, the berths to be awarded to the highest bidder, etc., in addition to the 

 yearly ground rent of titty cents per mile and tariff dues on timber when 

 cut, the Commissioner or agent in the intervals between sales to grant, licenses- 

 on application on payment of the bonus and ground rent mentioned. 



The Regulations of 1851 and those of 1806 imposed a fine for non- 

 occupation of timber berths as follows: If a berth in surveyed territory had 

 not been occupied, i.e., worked upon during the season for which license was 

 granted or renewed, or in unsurveyed territory the year after "ranting or 



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renewal of license, the ground rent of fifty cents was doubled, and so on in 

 case of non-occupation until the ground rent reached 23s. 4d. (S4-.67), or 

 maximum charge per square mile, at which rate it stood till the berths had 

 been worked upon, on which the rent fell again to fifty cents per mile ; the 

 making of an average of 500 feet of square timber, or twenty saw-logs to the, 

 mile, being admitted as due occupation. The object of compulsory occupation 

 or the payment of an increased ground rent was to prevent large areas of" 

 country from falling into the hands of capitalists, to the exclusion therefrom 

 of men of smaller means ; but the penalty of additional charge for rent was 

 easily evaded, seeing that the holders of limits had only to cut, or pretend to 

 have cut, 357 pieces of square timber or 1,000 logs, to have a fifty mile limit 

 maintained at fifty cents per mile rent, or reduced thereto had the rent been 

 advanced. 



After Confederation, compulsory occupation in Ontario was dispensed with,. 

 and the ground rent increased from fifty cents to $2 per square mile, and by the 

 third clause of existing regulations it is made imperative that all new timber 

 berths should be sold by public auction to the bidder of the highest amount of 

 bonus per square mile; that berths should be offered for sale at such time and 

 place as the Commissioner thought fit, instead of at any particular date or place ;. 

 and that in the interim between sales no new Jicenses be granted, as under the 

 regulations of 1866. 



The duty of the Commissioner of Crown Lands with respect of disposing of 

 timber berths, would seem clear and simple, mas nuch as he is by the auction 

 system relieved from the necessity of acting oa individual applications for 

 licenses ; but the fact is. that the management of public forests in Ontario is 

 surrounded by many difficulties, not the least of which is the settlement of the 

 country, which is extensively and rapidly taking place, in territory held under 

 timber license, where lumbering operations are being carried on simultaneously 

 with the location of the lands. 



