684 



Canadian Forestry Journal, August, igi6 



''Ten Pounds Fine' '-A Hint From 

 the Fire Laws of 1 832 



**For Protection of Lives and Property. Severe Pains and 

 Penalties Should Be Inflicted" --Gov. Simpson's Council 



The following notes of regulations 

 in regard to fire established by the 

 Council of Assiniboia which admin- 

 istered affairs in the Red River Set- 

 tlement, are from Volume 1 of the 

 Canadian Archives Report, 1914, 

 "The Canadian Northwest — Its 

 Early Development and Legislative 

 Records." 



Proceedings of a Council held at 

 Fort Garry on Friday the 4th day 

 of May, 1832. 



Present: George Simpson, Esq., 

 Governor of Rupert's Land, Presi- 

 dent; Donald McKenzie, Esq., Gov- 

 ernor of Assiniboia ; James Suther- 

 land, Esq., Councillor; James Prit- 

 chard, Esq., Councillor; Robert Lo- 

 gan, Esq., Councillor. 



The great injury done to the 

 woods of the settlement by fire and 

 the serious danger and loss occa- 

 sioned annually by that devouring 

 element, arising from the wilful- 

 ness of some ill-disposed persons, 

 and the negligence of others, render 

 it absolutely necessary, for the pro- 

 tection of lives and property, that 

 salutary regulations should be 

 formed with a view to check this 

 evil, and that severe pains and pen- 

 alties should be inflicted on all per- 

 sons who may violate such regula- 

 tions. It is, therefore, 



Resolved. 1st. Thai in all cases 



where it can be proved that the pro- 

 prietor or occupant of land lights a 

 fire, between the 1st of March and 

 the 1st of December, for any pur- 

 pose whatsoever, at a distance ex- 

 ceeding fifty yards from his house 

 even upon his own lands, he be 

 fined in the sum of ten pounds, 

 which will be levied forthwith by 

 the sale of the party's efifects if 

 necessary, one half of which fine 

 shall be paid over to the informant 

 and the other half retained in the 

 hands of the Council, as a fund to 

 meet such objects as they may here- 

 after be desirous of carrying into et- 

 fect connected \yith the welfare and 

 prosperity of the settlement. 



Resolved 2nd. That, in all cases 

 where it can be proved that any 

 person lights a fire between the 1st 

 of .March and the 1st of December, 

 either in the woods or plains be- 

 yond the boundary of his own prop- 

 erty or farm, either ten miles of the 

 banks of the river on either side 

 whether it be productive of any in- 

 jury or not, he be fined in the sum 

 of ten pounds, to be levied as stated 

 in the foregoing resolution and to 

 be disposed of in like manner, ex- 

 cept in cases where such fires may 

 have been lighted through absolute 

 necessity, of which the Council 

 alone (shall) be competent Judges 

 and, if the party so transgressing be 

 destitute of means to pay the fine, 

 he be banished from the settlement 

 and subjected to hard labour, and 

 the produce thereof be applied to 

 the liquidation of the fine. 



