158 REPORT OF ONTARIO GAME No. 5S 



of these laws is one of his duties, and that it behooves him, therefore, to 

 become intimately acquainted with them. Parsimony in the matter of 

 literature of this nature is obviously ridiculous, for it is evidently absurd 

 to inform a man that he is supposed to enforce regulations when, as at 

 present all too frequently, he has no means of a'scertaining what those 

 regulations are. It would, indeed, seem preferable that every ranger 

 should be supplied with a number of copies of the game laws and fish- 

 ery regulations on the chance of being able to distribute them to pros- 

 pecting and other parties in the woods, together with the fire and forestry 

 regulationis with which he is now supplied for that purpose, rather than 

 that he should find himself in the position of not even possessing one 

 copy for his own education and guidance. 



Recommendations. 



Your Commissioner would, therefore, recommend: 



(1) That for the purpose of scientific regulation and care, and for 

 the better protection of the forests, a provincial forestry corps be estab- 

 lished without delay. 



(2) That steps be taken to ascertain whether it is practicable for 

 railways operating through forest regions to burn some other material 

 than coal which will be less dangerous in the direction of causing for- 

 est fires, and, if feasible, to compel the railway companies operating 

 through the forest regions of the Province to do so. 



(3) That stricter attention be paid to the enforcement of the regu- 

 lations in regard to the use of spark-arrestors and to the keeping clear 

 of the rights of way by railways, and that the penalties for non-compli- 

 ance with these regulations in the Province be raised sufficiently to 

 render them of material importance to these corporations. 



(4) That where the origin of a fire can be traced to the operations 

 of a railway company, the company responsible be assessed for the full 

 estimated value of the damage to public timber lands effected. 



(5) That during the dangerous seasons for fire the railways be re- 

 quired to maintain fire patrols throughout such sections of forest belts 

 as they traverse, furnished with handcars and adequate equipment, to 

 follow up the various trains passing over their lines for the purpose of 

 extinguishing catches and incipient fires. 



(6) That steps be taken to secure the better patrolment of the 

 rights of way of railways in operation in forest areas by government 

 officers. 



(7) That wilful carelessness in regard to the starting of forest fires 

 in the public forests of the Province by any individual whatsoever be 

 made an indictable offence, punishable with severe penalties, and that 

 where the origin of a fire can be traced to the wilful carelessness or 

 neglect of any individual, such person be punished by fine and imprison- 

 ment commensurate with the extent of the damage done to public 

 property through his instrumentality. 



