1907 DEPARTMENT QF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 275 



The next point is the expense of the system and how it should be borne. 

 It seems to me that the interests of the Government and the licensee should 

 be regarded as equal in this matter, and that the whole thing being in the 

 nature of an experiment, each, for the present, should bear half of the 

 expenses not only of the Rangers but of suppression of fires and costs of 

 prosecution under the Fire Act. The men should receive the following 

 rates of pay, subject to reduction or increase as experience is gained : 

 Ranger in charge of limit, three dollars per day; assistants, two dollars per 

 day, which amount should be understood to cover board and all expenses, 

 except such as are caused by special emergencies or enforcement of the Fire 

 Act; they should be paid as their necessities required, which payments, and 

 all expenses incurred, should be made upon application, forwarded through 

 and recommended by the licensee. At the close of the season they should 

 send in a proper account, upon a form supplied from here, and duly attested 

 by affidavit, showing the number of days on duty and any special expenses 

 incurred, with voucJ^rs for the same, forwarding this account through the 

 licensee, who should recommend it for payment. The licensee should then 

 be debited with half the total expense, which should remain a charge on 

 the limit, payable before renewal of license. 



The clothing of the men with authority is the next consideration. This 

 can be done by appointing them Bush and Fire Rangers and instructing 

 them from here as such, which will make them ex-officio officers to enforce 

 the provisions of the Fire Act, under section 14 of the said Act. This will 

 arm them with all necessary authority, and lend official prestige to them 

 which will be found a valuable factor in dealing with settlers. This com- 

 pletes the scheme so far as its creation and organization is concerned, and 

 we will now discuss their action in the field. 



In instructing them from here it is not possible to frame rules which 

 shall meet every emergency, and as they are presumed to be practical men 

 it will be well to leave them plenty of latitude to deal with each case in such 

 manner as their knowledge and presence on the spot may suggest; at the 

 same time it will be only proper that I should indicate briefly some of the 

 more important of the duties which I think would devolve upon them. 



. Upon the ranger in charge of the limit will devolve the responsibility 

 for any action taken in preventing or suppressing fires, and the expenses 

 incurred in connection therewith. He will be furnished with a diary, in 

 which he must enter the movements of himself and assistants, anything of 

 interest or importance occurring on the limit, the the nature of the country 

 and timber where they travel, etc., so that the Department and licensee may 

 be fully informed about the limit ; its topography and the timbered por- 

 tions of it. This diary must be sent in at the end of the season, and should 

 be accompanied with any report or recommendation in the direction of 

 improving the scheme, which experience may suggest. Having been sud- 

 plied with a number of posters of the Fire Act, they will, on reaching the 

 scene of their duties, proceed to post them up in public and conspicuous 

 places, and being also supplied with copies of the Act in pamphlet for^i, 

 they will distribute these among settlers, residents or frequenters of the 

 limit, explaining to them the provisions of the Act, calling particular atten- 

 tion to the penalty for the inf motion thereof, and they will endeavor +o 

 inculcate a spirit of care and caution in setting out and preventing the 

 spread of fires, informing them of their headquarters, inviting their co- 

 operation and assistance to punish those who wilfully or carelessly disrecrnrd 

 The Act, and doing everything, in short, to secure the sympathy, confide'T^e 

 and support of the settlers. By doing these thin£?s, and keeping continuallv 

 on the move, thev will impart a thorough knowledge of the Fire Act. and 

 keep alive an active interest in its enforcement. 



