NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION- 157 



and it seems almost accepted that the central route will be the one selected, 

 I assert that it is an unfair and unjust transaction for the Federal Govern- 

 ment to adopt this route, endangering by fire New Brunswick's 

 valuable forest assets, on the heads of the aforesaid mentioned streams, 

 when the valley route could be easily taken, thereby not only giving more 

 railway accommodation to the 60 , 000 people settled along the valley, but it 

 will from an economical engineering standpoint be a more advantageous 

 route. 



The rise in lumber prices has steadily advanced, also has the rise in 

 timber lands. In some cases in this Province there have been some phenom- 

 enal gains, therefore there cannot be any argument advanced why stumpage 

 dues should not advance pro rata. This is a burning question. Stumpage 

 dues should be regulated to suit the locality. 



The present Government, having called this Convention, together, is 

 seeking information from different sources, preparatory to making an ad- 

 vance towards furthering the productive interests of our Forest Lands, and 

 if I may be allowed to advance some few ideas, I hope they will be taken as 

 having had some little knowledge on this subject during my experience of 

 the past twenty years. 



(1) I would suggest that there be a more strenuous' effort made to en- 

 force the Fire Act, because " an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of 

 cure ! " And while here, I may say that the County of Westmorland Fire 

 Law was considered a good one, when passed, but as the Judge of that par- 

 ticular district has decided that the man who sets lire must be seen actually 

 doing it, and will not allow the burden of proof to be upon the transgressor, 

 therefore the law appears to have no value in a case of this kind ; therefore 

 in making the Fire Laws they should be amended so that the party suspect- 

 ed be put upon oath and made to state the facts so far as he is concerned. 



(2) Stringent measures should be meted out to the Licensee of Grown. 

 Lands who does not comply with the efficient law relating to the undersized 

 cutting of logs. The law today is not adhered to and if allowed to continue 

 it will be one of the means towards depleting our forest. It takes time for 

 a spruce tree in virgin forest to become a saw log of eleven inches at the top, 

 and if this law was thoroughly enforced, I feel confident that our reproduc- 

 tive spruce lands would soon recuperate. Let us protect what we have, 

 rather than look forward to such an expensive operation as reafforestation, 



