156 BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN AMERICA. 



the lands so that settlement may be directed to those districts 

 suitable for agriculture, and which give promise of the 

 possibihty of the establishment of permanent and prosperous 

 homes for the settlers, and that the lands unsuited for 

 agriculture should be withdrawn from settlement and per- 

 manently reserved for the production of timber : 



That this Convention approves of the policy of Forest 

 Eeserves adopted by the Dominion and Provincial authorities, 

 and favours the extension of such reserves, as may be found 

 practicable from time to time, so as to eventually embrace all 

 lands suited only for the production of timber. 



That in the administration of such reserves, this Con- 

 vention would approve of the policy of having the cutting 

 done under the supervision of properly qualified officers, and 

 that in such operations due provision should be made to 

 ensure the reproduction of the forest. 



3. Eesolved, that in view of the great saving of timber 

 throughout the Dominion which has been accomplished by 

 the fire ranging staffs organised under Dominion and Pro- 

 vincial authorities, this Convention desires to place on record 

 its approval of the establishment of a fire ranging system for 

 the protection of the forests, and to urge that this system be 

 extended to all forested districts as far as possible, and that, 

 in view of the great interests to be protected, the service 

 under such a system should be made as complete and effec- 

 tive as possible. In this connection this Convention desires 

 to call public attention to the small expenditure made for the 

 protection of the timber resources of the country in proportion 

 to their value when compared with rates of insurance paid 

 on other public property, 



4. Eesolved that, in view^ of the many important respects 

 in which the water supply affects the industries of the country, 

 in particular agriculture, irrigation and manufacturing, and 

 the increasing value of the water powers owing to the adoption 

 of electricity for industrial purposes, this Convention would urge 

 that special means should be taken for the preservation of the 



