MANUAL LABOUR. 1^7 



4. Organisation of the Lahow-Gang. 



(a) General Account. — It is evident that the efficieuc}", as 

 regards quaHty and quantity of outturn, of the whole force of 

 labourers employed in a forest, leaving out of consideration 

 their special aptitude for the work, will depend greatly on 

 the supervision the foresters and forest-guards can exercise 

 over them. This influence and the possibility of its leading 

 to useful results, will depend on the relations of the wood- 

 cutters to one another, and on their dependence on the forest 

 and its interests. All this varies considerably from place to 

 place, and in certain cases it is hardly possible for the forest- 

 manager to exert the desired influence, whilst in others he can 

 do so quite easily. In order, however, to do what is possible 

 in this respect and supervise the hundreds of woodcutters who 

 may be employed in any forest-range, as well as distribute 

 them suitably among the different felling-areas and pay them 

 proportionally to their labour, a certain organisation of the 

 whole force of labour must be instituted, subdividing them into 

 gangs and parties, and appointing from amongst themselves 

 certain influential persons as foremen and heads of parties. 

 The gangs are usually composed of all men coming from the 

 same village (or district), and their leader is termed a foreman. 

 A party consists of the number of men, not less than 2 or 3, 

 required for complete felling and conversion of a certain lot of 

 trees. The party chooses its own leader, works together and 

 divides the payment for the work done, into equal parts among 

 its members. 



Considerable importance should be attached to the choice of 

 the foreman, as he is the intermediary between the workmen and 

 the forest officials, and is more or less responsible during the 

 absence of the latter for the conduct of the woodcutters. On 

 account of the indispensable nature of his services it is advisable 

 to attach him as much as possible to the forest and to keep him 

 constantly employed ; he should also get special privileges. He 

 usually settles the accounts with the men, and obtains a small 

 percentage of the total payment for doing so. 



The connection of the woodcutters with one another varies in 

 different places, depending partly on the possibility of carrying 



