198 NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 



agriculture should have it, because I think the profit to be derived and 

 people to be supported by it are much more to the acreage than by Forestry. 

 But I think the most important thing for this convention to consider is the' 

 protection from fire. I do not consider the protection from fire is ample. 

 Some fire wardens have been appointed and so far as I have observed they 

 have done their very best, but the time to prevent the fire is to fight it and 

 put it out. I have had some experience and have been fairly fortunate, 

 though I have met some losses ; but my experience in any fires which have 

 occurred in any lands in which I have been interested is that no fire warden 

 or no body of men could ever put them out. They burned till they went out; 

 till the rain came and put them out. I have sent men to put out fires and* 

 they would say : "Just as soon as the wind has changed and we can get 

 around and there is a little fall of rain we will put them out ;" then comes a 

 dry spell and the stumps catch and they burn themselves out. 



If you go around the Dungarvon district you will find the fire burned 

 down to the edges of the stream, burned down to it and did not cross. My 

 experience is, prevent the fire, don't put it out. You can't put it out. Take 

 a forest fire a mile or a half a mile from water, what can you do ? You can't 

 go in front with a wind blowing, you would lose your life. What you have= 

 to do, and do it very quickly, is to instruct fire wardens to keep poachers out 

 of the woods. That is where the fires come from people not legitimately 

 in the woods, but people who come illegitimately, and you or I may tell them- 

 they are private lands, they simply tell you it is none of your business. My 

 idea is to put fire wardens in and if they catch any one in there without 

 liberty they should be punished. The Dungarvon fire, it is well known, waer 

 started by men who were there spearing and catching salmon contrary to 

 law. My idea is that to prevent the fires in the dry season the proper way 

 is to keep people out of the woods unless they have business there. 



MR. BURCHILL Is there any provision in the Road Act to arrange 

 for burned wood and rubbish. I remember \vhere a road was cleared of the 

 undergrowth and that was allowed to remain on the road through the en- 

 tire summer, and a very dry season, and during the latter part of the season 

 the lighted butt of a cigar would have set the place in a blaze, and if there is 

 nothing in the present law to compel commissioners to burn the under- 

 growth and brush along the edge of the roads the Act should be amended in 

 that respect. 



MR. F. W. SUMNER Could the guides of the present time be ap- 

 pointed fire wardens ? 



