The Regina Meeting. 



117 



Government tree-distribution scheme. 

 Mr. Jas. Lawler, Secretary of the 

 Association, read a letter from Mr. F. C. 

 Whitman, of Annapolis Royal, N.S., 

 dealing with deforestation and its effect, 

 the danger and damage to timber from 

 fire, the survey of the Nova Scotia 

 forests and other topics of interest. 



RESOLUTIONS. 



The Committee on Resolutions then 

 presented its report, which was consider- 

 ed clause by clause and adopted. The 

 resolutions were as follows : — 



(1) Resolved, that this Convention 

 call the attention of the governments 

 and the public to the danger resultii^g 

 from prairie and forest fires and would 

 urge that the utmost care be exercised 

 by every person handling fire in the 

 open, and that the laws and regulations 

 for the prevention of fire be strictly en- 

 forced; further, that the provisions of 

 the Railway and Fire Acts and of the 

 regulations of the Railway Commission 

 in regard to the plowing of fire guards, 

 the removal of inflammable material 

 from the right of way and the proper 

 equipment of locomotives with efficient 

 appliances for the prevention of the 

 escape of fire, be enforced by a thorough 

 system of inspection; that the system of 

 a patrol by a staff of fire rangers be ex- 

 tended to all the forested districts; that 

 in the opening up of railroads or other 

 roads or line through a forested district 

 or the conduct of lumbering operations 

 in the vicinity of such roads the clearing 

 of debris should be made compulsory — - 

 Carried unanimouslv on motion of 

 Messrs. W. Sifton and E. F. T. Brokovski. 



(2) Resolved, that as the preserva- 

 tion of game birds, animals and fish 

 throughout Canada as well as that of 

 all beneficial species is intimately as- 

 sociated with the question of the con- 

 servation of forests, and that as the wild 

 game of Canada is in danger of exter- 

 mination in many localities where its 

 preservation should be assured some 

 further steps be adopted by the associa- 

 tion towards furthering public sentiment 

 in this respect by the formation of a 

 game protective branch of the associa- 

 tion or the election of a game protective 

 committee. — Unanimously carried on 

 motion of Mr. J. P. Turner, seconded by 

 Mr. F. C. Tate, M.L.A. 



(.3) Resolved, that in view of the 



diminution in numbers of game, both 

 large and small, throughout Wieistcrtt 

 Canada, this association approve of a 

 policy of greater activity on the part of 

 the Forestry Branch in availing them 

 selves of the powers conferred on them 

 for the protection of game on foi-fest 

 reserves and consider the advisability of 

 setting aside additional lands to be 

 utilized as game refuges in various 

 sections of the prairie provinces. — 

 Moved by Mr. T. N. Willing, seconded 

 by Mr. J. P. Turner, and carried un 

 animously. 



(4) Resolved, that this conventiori 

 express their support of the policy of 

 establishing forest reserves on water- 

 sheds and lands unsuitable for agri- 

 culture for the purpose of protecting the 

 water supply, furnishing wood products 

 and providing places of recreation for 

 the public and would recommend that 

 an examination of all public lands for 

 the purpose of selecting such areas 

 should be made as speedily as possible; 

 that, while commending the adoption of 

 this policy in so far as it has been earned 

 out by the Dominion and Provincial 

 authorities, this convention would urge 

 that its operation be extended so as to 

 embrace all lands which are suitable 

 only for tree growth. — Moved by Mr. A. 

 P. Stevenson, seconded by Mr. John 

 Caldwell, and carried unanimously. 



(5) Resolved, that this association 

 tender its appreciation of the work being 

 done in tree ])1 anting and horticulture 

 by the Canadian Pacific Company at its 

 station grounds in variovis places and 

 the experiments being made in tree 

 planting in those parts of the West 

 where it is most needed and would direct 

 the continued notice of the settlers and 

 the travelling public to the future valup 

 of those experiments. — Unanimously 

 carried on motion of Messrs. G. B. 

 Spring- Rice and A. Mackay. 



Mr. H. L. Patmore, of Brandon, 

 brought before the convention a resolu- 

 tion proposing that the convention 

 endorse a change in the pro\'isions of 

 the homestead law, so as to provide 

 that a homesteader who should plant 

 to forest trees an area of his farm 

 should be entitled to his" patent. In 

 support of the resolution Mr. Patmore 

 said that he thought the growing in- 

 terest in tree -growing would make the 

 change accent able to intending home- 

 steaders. Mr. N. M. Ross spoke in 



