1914-15 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. ix 



-4 



The revenue collected during the year from woods and forests amounted to 

 $1,528,104.82, a decrease of $146,783.11. 



The revenue from timher dues was $928,351.38, a decrease of $184,129.00 as 

 compared with last year. 



The collections on account of bonus amounted to $507,241.43, an increase of 

 $53,074.19 over that of the preceding year. 



The collections from ground rentals amounted to $89,952.01 which is $13,- 

 958.30 less than amount collected from same source for the year ending October 

 3l8t, 1914. 



The revenue from transfer fees was $2,560.00 as against $4,330.00 for pre- 

 ceding year. 



The area under license last year was 15,711% square miles, a reduction in 

 area of 1,6211/4 square miles. The area under license varies from year to year for 

 the following reasons: Areas cut over are dropped from the license; license does 

 not issue on account of non-payment of ground rent ; failure on the part of licensees 

 to pay timber dues owing. 



There was surrendered during the year 6021^ square miles. New licenses were 

 issued for territory covering 312 square miles. 



Volume of Output. 



The production of pine timber, saw logs, square timber, etc., last year was 

 407,874,044 feet board measure, an increase of 25,292,017 feet board measure over 

 quantity produced last year. The output of timber other than pine, was 59,308,403 

 feet board measure as against 77,451,857 feet board measure last year. 



The quantity of pulpwood taken off Crown Lands was 301,061 cords as com^ 

 pared with 104,544 cords last year. The number of railway ties taken out last year 

 was 729,164 as against 5,439,845 the previous year. 



Financial Conditions. 



The collections from woods and forests, while falling below that of last year, 

 has exceeded the estimated revenue by $28,104.82, showing that the financial strin- 

 gency existing in 1914 hfis not to the same extent fqrced the lumbermen to postpone 

 their payments. 



Lumbering operations have fallen off greatly throughout the Province, and 

 the cessation of railway construction is responsible for the greater portion of the 

 decrease in collections this year. 



The export trade is practically at a standstill, and the domestic trade, depend- 

 ing largely upon building construction, has not shown much improvement; con- 

 sequently prices are low and such conditions do not encourage lumbering or 

 manufacture. 



Trade Outlook. 



Lumbermen throughout the Province refer to 1915 as the stiffest year they 

 have ever experienced. Nevertheless an optimistic view appears to prevail. From 

 the present outlook it would appear that the output for 1916 will show a substantial 

 increase over that of the present season. It is almost inevitable that at the term- 

 ination of the war there must be a vastly increased demand for Ontario lumber, 

 both in domestic and export markets. 



