1920-21 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FOEESTS. 15 



To give effect to the recommendations contained in the report of the Com- 

 mission of Enquiry, a Board of Adjustment was appointed by Orders-in-Council 

 dated the 17th and 37th of April, 1930, consisting of General John Gunn, Alex- 

 ander Stewart Morgan and Archibald Leitch, to which Board Dr. A. H. Abbott 

 was later named as secretary. By an Act passed on the 31st of April, 1930, which 

 was an amendment to the Returned Soldiers' and Sailors' Land Settlement Act, 

 provisions were made for the hearing and determining of complaints, etc., and for 

 the adjustment of other grievances and the awarding of grants in settlement 

 thereof. 



The full report of the Board of Adjustment is contained in Appendix No. 46. 



The Provincial Colony Farm was sold to the Spruce Falls Company, Limited, 

 under agreement of the 4th of August, 1920, and their pulp and other mills are 

 being erected upon this land. The price paid was $100.00 an acre for the cleared 

 and $8.00 an acre for the unstumped land. 



The Government proposes to establish by special legislation at the next session 

 a municipality to be known as Kapuskasing, the intention being to develop an 

 ideal northern town. 



Settlers' Loax. 



To the end ol' the 31st of October, 1930, 3,337 applications for loans, repre- 

 senting $8,747.60 or an average of $384,61 per application were received, but only 

 such applications were entertained where it was clearly shown that the money 

 could be used to good advantage for the improvement of the settlement duties. 

 Altogetiher ,1,^558 loans, which included one of $13,000.00 to the Sudbury Co- 

 operative Creamery Company, Limited, and one of $8,000.00 to the Dairy Co- 

 operative Association, have been made to settlers, these loans amounting to 

 $490,836.00. 



It is gratifying to observe that over 90 per cent, of the interest payments are 

 up to date and payments of principal of over 97 per cent, of the amount due. 

 Appreciation has been expressed by those receiving loans of the advantages that 

 have accrued to them in the work of carrying on land clearances, etc. 



For a detailed statement by the Loan Commissioner, see Appendix No. 47. 



FORESTRY BRANCH. 

 Fire Protection. 



The forest fire protection work was continued this season under the jurisdic- 

 tion of the Forestry Branch. The season opened with a very dry period and we 

 were without rain for about two months. Practically 60 per cent, of the season's 

 fires were recorded during this early period. 



The origin of fn-es as shown in the report of the Forestry Branch has con- 

 siderable interest. We find that during this last season 83.9 per cent, of the total 

 fires were of railway origin. From the report it will be seen that forest §res of 

 railway origin are greatly decreasing, as the following figures will show : 



Fire? of railway origin 1917 — 49.5 per cent. 



Fires of railway origin 1918 — 46.5 per cent. 



Fires of railway origin 1919 — 37.0 per cent. 



Fires of railway origin 1920 — 23.9 per cent. 



