1907 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 217 



Exjports. 



In connection with tliis subject the following figures from a return *of 

 the quantity of timber measured through the Supervisor of Culler's office at 

 Quebec for the years 1845-52 are of interest as showing the relative import- 

 ance of white and red pine at that period: — 



Year. White Pine. Red Pine. 



Feet. Feet. 



1845 19,141,982 4,444,515 



1846 24,662,815 5,183,307 



1847 12,074,708 0,516,922 



1848 7,132,127 4,223,952 



1849 11,924,198 3,797,584 



1850 14,388,593 2,121,316 



1851 •.. 15,487,180 3,189,657 



1852 to Sept. 30 26,364,464 1,857,333 



During the session of 1854-55 Mr. Carter, introduced a bill to protect 

 the forest and to prevent the setting of fire to the woods with the view of 

 clearing lands. The measure was however dropped before reaching a 

 second reading, probably in consequence of the appointment of a Committee 

 of the House to investigate the whole subject of the management of pub- 

 lic lands. On the 16th October, 1854, the House of Commons adopted the 

 following resolution : — 



"Resolved, that a select committee composed of Mr. Gait, the Hon. 

 Mr. Morin, the Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald, the Hon. Mr. Hincks, the 

 Hon. Mr. Rolph, Mr. Lemieux, Mr. Jean Baptiste Eric Dorion, Mr. Lang- 

 ton, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Fortier, Mr. Egan, the Hon. Mr. Merritt, and Mr. 

 Cauchon, be appointed to examine and report upon the present system of 

 management of the Public Lands and the various dues arising therefrom, 

 together with the present mode of selling, leasing and otherwise disposing 

 of the same, to report thereon with all convenient speed, with power to send 

 for persons, papers and records." 



The evidence taken by this committee covers a great number of points 

 in relation to the lumber trade and forest management. The tenor of many 

 of the answers received to the questions submitted by the committee are 

 full of suggestion regarding the problem as it presents itself to-day, and 

 show that the various phases of the question were at that time becoming 

 better understood and receiving more intelligent consideration than in the 

 earlier days of the trade. 



Loss of Timber Dues Through Squatters . 



One of the most conspicuous abuses of the system to which frequent 

 reference has been made, was the cutting of timber by settlers and squatters, 

 either under the colorable title of purchase or otherwise. As has been seen 

 the profuse granting of land far in excess of the requirements of settlement, 

 prior to the outbreak of 1837, and the consequent low price of land for some 

 time afterwards, brought about a state of affairs under which it was fre- 

 quently cheaper to buy timbered areas outright for lumbering purposes than 

 *to pay the Government dues. 



In later years the conditions of sale remained so exceedingly liberal 

 that advantage was frequently taken of them to obtain possession of the 

 land by payment of a small instalment of the purchase money for the sole 



