506 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



November 



be allowed for the removal of timber 

 sold, but there is no justification for 

 the enormous sacrifices in ultimate rev- 

 enue made by the provinces by this 

 practice. 



Occasionally sales in advance of 

 trade requirements have been prompt- 

 ed by a demand for the land for the 

 purpose of agricultural settlement. 

 More rarely the motive has been to 

 utilize timber especially endangered 

 by fire, but without question the con- 

 trolling motive in the great majority 

 of cases has been to secure for present 

 revenue the comparatively trifling 

 sums to be paid as "bonus." 



a sale poucy. 



To insure that my criticism be con- 

 structive rather than destructive, I sub- 

 mit in conclusion an outline of a 

 method of disposing of Crown timber 

 which appears to me to offer a simple, 

 practical and businesslike solution of 

 the problem. It might be added that 

 this method of sale in all its essential 

 features has already proven its effi- 

 ciency in practice in large transactions 

 and under conditions not unlike those 

 obtaining on the Canadian timber 

 lands. 



Preparatory A first step in the pre- 

 paration for a sale of timber should be 

 to make an estimate of the quantities 

 of the defferent kinds to be sold, for 

 publication with the advertisement of 

 the sale. An estimate of the value 

 would also be made, this latter for the 

 use of the forest department in deter- 

 mining their reserve bid. 



Advertisement The advertisement 

 in the case of large sales should be 

 published at least a year in advance of 

 the auction, that ample opportunity 

 may be given for completing business 

 arrangements looking to purchase and 

 for the exploration of the tract by 

 prospective purchasers. 



The advertisement should state the 

 location' and area of the tracts offered, 

 the approximate stand of the differ- 

 "ent kinds of timber and the time and 

 place of auction. Intending pur- 

 chasers should be invited to apply for 

 information regarding the rules and 



regulations governing the cutting and 

 removal of the timber, the manner of 

 payment and other details. 



Cutting Regulations The cutting 

 regulations should be prepared with 

 special reference to the individual 

 tracts offered for sale and would be 

 governed by local conditions. 



In general they would include : 



The designation of the timber to be 

 cut and, conversely, specifically pro- 

 hibit the cutting of timber not offered 

 for sale for example, immature tim- 

 ber under a set diameter limit. 



Provision for care in the felling and 

 in the removal of the timber. 



Provision for the prevention of 

 waste by limiting the height of stump, 

 by prescribing the use of the saw 

 where practicable and by providing for 

 the utilization of inferior materials. 



Provision regarding the disposal of 

 the debris such as lopping tops, burn- 

 ing brush, etc. 



The time limit for the final removal 

 of all timber sold. 



Specifications as to measurement of 

 timber logged. 



Adequate penalties for violation of 

 cutting regulations, as, for example, 

 payment at double the regular purchase 

 price for any merchantable timber left 

 in the woods by the loggers. 



Time and manner of payment. 



Provision for a bond to insure the 

 faithful performance of the contract 

 by the purchaser. 



Method of Sale By public auction, 

 bids being asked on the amount to be 

 paid per thousand feet when the tim- 

 ber is cut. 



Ground Rent To prevent specula- 

 tive purchase by others than bona fide 

 operators a fairly high ground rent 

 per mile might with advantage be pro- 

 vided for. The payment on account 

 of ground rent for any particular year 

 might be made to apply on the stump- 

 age dues account for the same years. 

 This would throw the whole weight of 

 the ground rent taxation on the pur- 

 chaser who failed to operate, and 

 would at the same time provide auto- 

 matically for release from taxation 



