1909 DEPAETMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES xi 



Now the region has been pierced by the Transcontinental Eailway froiji one end to 

 the other, thousands of men being employed, a large proportion of wliom are foreign- 

 ers without any knowledge of our laws or efforts to preserve the forests from destruc- 

 tion, and caring nothing whether it is burnt up so long as they can use fire to suit 

 their object. They have no interest in or care for public property. This makes the 

 whole line of construction a menace to the forests on each side of it. Not ,only 

 so but tote roads are built which are veritable lines of danger to the forests on each 

 side. The Province is not responsible for this danger, as the railway builds under 

 Dominion legislation, and we canijot enforce our legislation with respect to efficient 

 protection. It was hoped, as the danger was caused by the construction under the 

 Dominion Government, that in common with other railways they would bear a share 

 of the expense of fire protection, but so far no contribution has been made. 



The fire ranging on licensed territory as heretofore has been conducted by men 

 selectc-d by the Timber Licensees. The work has been efficiently performed and con- 

 tinues to give satisfaction ^ the limit holders. The number of Rangers on Forest 

 Reserves was 185 and the cost was $65,992.23, The number on railways was 187 

 and the cost was $66,713.49. The number on licensed lands was 450, costing $G6,- 

 114.71. The railways refund the expense, except the Transcontinental, which con- 

 tributes nothing. The Licensees pay half the expense of fire ranging on their limits. 



CuLLEifs' Examinations. 



Cullers' Examinations were held at North Bay, Arnpricr, 'i'hessalon, Kenora 

 and Fort Frances. Fifty-eight candidates were successful at these examinations 

 and were granted certificates authorizing them to act as cullers. 



(For list of cullers see Appendix No. -28, pages 87 to 98.) 



Crown Surveys. 



The following Crown Surveys have been undertaken this year : — 



Instructions for subdivision of two townships were issued, namely:-?— 



District of Nipissing, Township o^ Blount. District of Kenora, Township of 

 Wabigoon, 



Instructions also issued for a number of ba^e and meridian linos and township 

 outlines in the Mississaga Forest Reserve and in the Temagami Forest Reserve. 



The base and meridian lines were in the Districts of Sudbury and Algoma and 

 there were 190 miles run. 



Survey of outlines of townships m the Temagami Forest Reserve, 457 miles 

 run. 



Survey of township outlines in the Mississaga Forest Reserve, 347 miles run. 



A number of timber berths in the Districts of Thunder Bay, Rainy River and 

 Kenora, Algoma and Nipissing, have also been surveyed during the year. 



The town plot of Gowganda has also been laid out, also an addition to the 

 town plot of Smyth, in the District of Nipissing, also preliminary surveys of 

 several proposed town sites. 



The survey of Lake Abitibi and Islands therein has been completed. 



Several other minor surveys have been performed. 



The reports of the surveyors of the base and meridian lines in the Clay Belt 

 in Northern Ontario continue to give favourable impressions on the soil passed 

 over by their lines. 



