CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 33 



assure you that I am advised that ere long some further distinct steps will 

 be taken by the Government, showing that they are seriously aware of the 

 importance of these two resources. When the Ontario Association feels that 

 it has succeeded in its efforts to make fish and game a recognized factor 

 in the resources of this Province, there will then be an opportunity for it 

 to use its surplus energy in making Forestry a recognized factor also. 

 (Applause.) 



THE PRESIDENT : I will now call upon Mr. Robert Laidlaw, who repre- 

 sents the Canadian Fire Underwriters' Association. 



ME. LAIDLAW'S ADDEESS. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,- The Association that I have the 

 honour to represent consists of a little more than half the Fire Insurance Com- 

 panies doing business in the country; and while at first sight it may seem 

 that we are not particularly interested in this matter, I hope that I may 

 be able to bring into the discussion one or two points that perhaps might 

 otherwise be overlooked. The Fire Insurance Companies are actively carry- 

 ing on a campaign for the conservation of all the property of the country 

 in the same way as this Association is doing in regard to the forest wealth. 

 By bringing to the attention of the authorities the protection of property 

 against danger from fire we are constantly promoting that object. To show 

 how important that work is I need only tell you that in this country and 

 in the United States the amount of property destroyed per year is ten times 

 what it is in any European country. All of that is an absolute waste and 

 should be preserved. Speaking of forest preservation, I would like to draw 

 your attention to some disasters where carelessness in relation to forest fires 

 have not only destroyed the property of the lumbermen and of the country 

 in the way of standing timber, but have swept over immense areas of 

 country and destroyed cities and towns. The gentlemen from New Bruns- 

 wick will remember two tremendous forest fires that swept over the whole 

 of northern New Brunswick, destroying the capital of the Province. In 

 Eastern Ontario, also, we had a fire, caused by carelessness in a slashing, 

 which destroyed Casselman, South Indian, and several other districts in a 

 single afternoon. Last year the town of Fernie, in British Columbia, was 

 destroyed. After a personal visit to the scene. I can say that that fire was 

 due entirely to slashing left in the woods by lumbermen in limits near the 

 town. Wherever that fire came to timber land that had not been cut 

 over it went out showing very conclusively that if the law enacted in 

 Xew Brunswick and in Wisconsin is properly enforced there being no 

 kindling wood, if I may use the term, left in the forest the forest fires 

 will be largely eliminated. (Applause.) I would like to point out, too, 

 that the cities are very much interested in another way, namely, the abnormal 

 flow of water high water at one time of the year and low water at another. 



3 F. 



