14 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



Colonization Roads. 



On this service $827,855.98 was spent, or $156,671.50 beyond that of the 

 previous year. Commitments respecting direct grants along with by-law 

 requests made early in the year had to be met. The construction and main- 

 tenance expenditure for Colonization Roads is a direct benefit to those portions 

 of the country receiving no benefit from the Provincial Highway system. For 

 the details of road and bridge construction and the expenditure under this head 

 see Appendix No. 38. 



Northern Development Branch. 



Approximately three and one-third million dollars was spent under this 

 Branch during the past year, the details of which, with respect to the construction 

 and maintenance of roads and bridges and the advancement of settlement and 

 colonization,will be found on pages 125 to 158 inclusive, while the details of loans 

 issued to settlers are on pages 159 and 160. 



FORESTRY BRANCH. 



Forest Fire Protection. 



Last season developed one of the most serious forest fire losses since 1917. 



This was owing to the very dry condition prevailing throughout Northern 

 Ontario in the autumn of 1922, so that the spring of 1923 opened with practically 

 no water in the swamps. In some of the outlying regions no rain occurred to 

 influence the situation until July. This dry period entailed the placing of a 

 large number of men on the staft at an early date, and owing to the serious 

 weather conditions in late September the staff was kept on much later than 

 usual. 



Weather conditions accounted for a large increase in the expenditure on 

 ordinary ranging. It also accounted for over $100,000 additional cost in extra 

 fire-fighting. 



Of 1,343 fires occurring during "the season, 670 did not get beyond ten acres 

 in size, while 932 did not get beyond 100 acres in size. ■ The total acreage burned 

 over of all classes was slightly over 2,000,000 acres, of which 593,000 was timber 

 land. 



Improvement Work: During the last season the outstanding lines of im- 

 provement work carried out was the erection of six permanent steel lookout 

 towers, and 23 wooden towers, making in all 117 towers erected to date in 

 Northern Ontario, 



Telephone lines were built to connect up lookout points. In all some 300 

 miles was constructed during the last season. This gives us 636 miles of telephone 

 line now completed in Northern Ontario in connection with forest fire protection. 



Equipment: In addition to the ordinary equipment purchased during the 

 past season, the Department invested in 54 portable gas engines and pumping 

 units with 2,000 feet of hose for each. These pumping units are found to be 

 indispensable in connection with handling the forest fire situation. In many 

 districts this past season they saved the situation. 



Of our increased expenditure about $60,000 was expended on these fire 

 fighting units. We now have 88 units in use. Part of the increased expenditure 



