PROTECTION AGAINST FOREST OFFENCES, ETC. 231 



115. Measures for the Prevention of Forest Offences or 

 Misdemeanours. 



In order to carry out protective measures in an adequate 

 manner it is essential that there should be a sufficient, and at the 

 same time efficient, body of men to see that irregularities of 

 various descriptions are not allowed to take place, although, of 

 course, it is only in a State Forest Department, or in private 

 woodlands of such large extent as belong to but a few of the 

 greater landowners, that anything like a full separate staff of em- 

 ployes can possibly be maintained in the interests of forestry alone. 



But wherever foresters, wood- bailiffs, timber-overseers, wood- 

 reeves, or whatever they may be called, are employed in the 

 supervision of woodlands, they should be properly instructed in 

 the manner in which they are to take action in the various 

 classes of misdemeanours or more casual offences. Above all 

 things, inspections should be made without any approach to 

 regularity in the daily movements ; for if those hankering after an 

 opportunity of purloining any particular kind of produce think 

 they can count upon the forester being occupied at any particular 

 time by duties elsewhere, they are much more likely to decide on 

 carrying out their half-formed intention than when they are never 

 sure at what part of the woods the man in charge, or one of his 

 subordinates, may make his appearance. 



