1916-17 DEPAETMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. ix 



During the year there have been 158 patents issued for lands located by 

 veterans, making a total of 7,222 thus disposed of. 



The total number, therefore, of certificates that have now been redeemed is 

 12,355, leaving 1,643 still outstanding. 



Under the Act 1st Edw. VII, Cap. 6, and amendments thereto covering these 

 grants it is necessary for all locatees of the lands granted under this Act to apply 

 for their patents for such land before ten years have expired from date of location. 

 If this application for patent is not made within the ten years then the land comes 

 under the settlement regulations, and unless the settlement duties are proceeded 

 with, the locations are liable to cancellation. Previous to the expiration of the ten 

 years after location, the Department has sent a notice to each veteran who should 

 apply for his patent stating this fact, and in this manner have saved many of the 

 locations from becoming subject to the settlement duties. See Appendix No. 11, 

 page 53. 



Financial Assistance to Settlers. 



Since August 12th, 1916, 1,238 applications for loans have been dealt with by 

 the Settlers' Loan Commissioner. Loans amounting to $383,968.57 have been 

 made. 



There is no doubt as to the benefit which has been derived by the settlers 

 from the advances which have been made by the Department. In many cases reports 

 have come to the Department of settlers being enabled to remain on their clear- 

 ings and devote their whole time to work on their holdings, securing results that 

 otherwise they would have been unable to accomplish. 



Production in Northern Ontario during the coming season will clearly demon- 

 strate the benefits derived from the loans which have been made. 



For particulars re loans refer to Appendix 28. 



The Mining Industry. 



The annual reports of the Bureau of Mines deal fully with the mining industry 

 of the Province, and it is, therefore unnecessary to go into detail on this subject 

 here. Statistics of production of the metalliferous mines and works of Ontario for 

 the nine months ending 30th September, 1917, have been collected by the Bureau 

 and may, however, be given. The metallic output for the calendar year may be 

 closely approximated from these figures. The value of the mineral production of 

 the Province is now upwards of sixty-five millions of dollars per annum, and 

 Ontario easily leads all the other Provinces in this branch of industrial activity. 

 The steady growth of mining in Northern Ontario, by providing a ready home 

 market for farm products, is proving, and will continue to prove, one of the chief 

 factors in the settlement and colonization of the agricultural areas of the Crown 

 domain. 



The table is as follows, and for purposes of comparison, figures for the cor- 

 responding period of 1916 are also given: 



Notwithstanding the falling off in the output of gold, silver and copper, the 

 aggregate value for the nine months was some $2,000,000 more than for the same 



2 L.M. 



