128 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



might be useless, as they say has alreafl\- occurred in Canada 

 when such a provision was put into force. 



The lawyer for the Harmsworths claims that an uinal''* 

 satisfactory explanation exists with regard to every other clause 

 in the bill. His clients, he says, only sought an area extensive 

 enough, and contained within a suitable watershed, to enable 

 the forest growth to be cut scientifically and then reproduced by 

 the most advanced methods of modern arboriculture, while it 

 could be properly policed and protected so that its one substan- 

 tial assut, frqm their view point, its standing timber, might be 

 safe-guarded from every vagrant wanderer whose camp fire 

 might destroy it in a single night. The possession of such an 

 area assured to them, and satisfactory legislation to prevent bush 

 fires enacted, together with such concessions as will warrant 

 them in embarking in so large an enterprise in a new and untried 

 country, and they will at once launch out in the establishment 

 of a plant and accessories, which will reach five million dollars 

 in a few years. They have all their plans now perfected for open- 

 ing up work — engineers and experts engaged to make investi- 

 gations as to the water powers, flow, ice drift, mill sites, dams 

 and factories ; surveyors ready to begin the mapping of the en- 

 tire watershed; forestry experts to undertake the scientific re- 

 foresting of the waste lands, where such can be done, and wood 

 rangers to assume the task of patrolling the borders and seeing 

 the region kept free from bush fires. 



As the Newfoundland Government controls the customs as 

 well as the land revenue, it may expect to obtain through the 

 former source, consequent upon the trade development which 

 the contract promises, a return for the concessions made, but it 

 is hardh.- a wise Government measure to alienate large areas of 

 the forest lands of the Colony, without at least a provision to en- 

 sure a direct revenue to the Crown. Stumpage dues would pro- 

 bably be the preferable method of such taxation, as it would thus 

 only keep pace with the development. The future rights of the Col- 

 ony should certainly be safeguarded in some way, the opportunity 

 for development need not necssarily be set aside, and it is to be 

 hoped that the statesmansh,ip of the island colony will be strong 

 and able enough to work out a solution that will make for its ad- 

 vancement and its future, as well as present, prosperity. 



