50 FOKESTRY IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



afforestation throughout the Empire is directed chiefly to the 

 local production of conifers, wherever the climate is suitable for 

 them. 



5. Relationship of the State to Forestry. 



Under this heading, legislation, administrative methods, 

 assistance given to forestry and alhed subjects are dealt with. 

 It is a large subject and the progress made in the several parts of 

 the Empire will be found in the notes given further on. Special 

 attention is invited to India and the United Kingdom. In the 

 former country the Forest Act of 1878, with its offshoots, still 

 forms the basis of Indian forest poHcy, and it has been fuUy 

 utilized in drawing up forest acts and ordinances in other parts 

 of the Empire. The British Forestry Act of 1919 represents an 

 excellent example of forest legislation. In both these cases the 

 principle of working for a sustained yield in the future is laid 

 down, this being the foundation of sound forest management. 

 Good progress has also been made of late years in this direction 

 in some of the Australian States. 



6. The Forest Authority. 



This varies very much. It consists of a Commission in the 

 United Kingdom, in New South Wales, Victoria and South 

 Austraha ; of a single Head in each of the Indian Provinces, 

 Canada, Queensland, Western Austraha, New Zealand, South 

 Africa, and in the Crown Colonies generally. In several parts of 

 the Empire the Head Ofiicer is assisted by a consultative com- 

 mittee. A rudimentary authority, or none at all, exists in some 

 of the colonies and protectorates. India has, in addition to the 

 provincial authorities, an Inspector-General of Forests, who is the 

 chief adviser to the Government of India. 



As regards the general organisation, it has been recognised that 

 a territorial agency is essential for an efficient conduct of the 

 business. The details depend on local conditions. As an illus- 

 tration it may be stated that in India the unit of executive charge 

 is the Range, while a number of ranges form a Division, or 

 controlling charge, and a number of the latter form a Circle, or 

 administrative charge, presided over by a Conservator of Forests. 

 In provinces which contain several Circles, a Chief Conservator 



