198 FORESTRY IN NEWFOUNDLAND. 



Governor-in-Council appoints a Chief Ranger, who appoints the 

 wardens where necessary. Under the Act of 1911, the fire 

 wardens are appointed by a Central Committee, which consists of 

 the representatives of the different lumber companies and the 

 Minister of Agriculture as Chairman. The cost of fire protection 

 is met by Government votes and voluntary contributions of the 

 licensees of timber Hmits. Mr. Horwood, in his report, states : 

 " The loss to forest wealth to date is very shght from the use of 

 the axe compared with the ravages of fire. Something has 

 recently been done to check this enormous waste by the estab- 

 lishment of a small, poorly supported fire patrol. . . . This 

 criminal waste of public wealth should be dealt with, for it con- 

 stitutes the most serious problem in conservation. . . . The 

 question of reproduction calls for some scientific attention as weU 

 as that of general forest conservancy." 



It is prohibited by law to export unmanufactured lumber, such 

 as pit-props or pulpwood, from Newfoundland. This law was 

 suspended during the war, but it seems to be in force again, 

 though not in Labrador during the next 10 years. 



Administrative Methods. — The forests within 3 miles of the sea- 

 shore have been reserved by the Government for the benefit of the 

 inhabitants, who are mostly fishermen, and who make excellent 

 woodmen during the time of the year when fishing is suspended. 

 During the war considerable amounts of pit wood were cut in 

 these belts for export to the United Kingdom. It is not known 

 what area is included in these coastal forests. Practically all 

 other forests inside the coastal belts are held under licences by 

 private parties or by companies under the following conditions 

 (Mr. Turner's Statement) : — " The licence gives the holder the 

 right to cut timber on the leased land for a term of 99 years on 

 the payment of an annual rental of 2 dollars per square mile (or 

 about 1 penny for every 7 acres), on the area conveyed under the 

 licence. The licensee has to erect and operate a saw-mill within 

 3 years, of a capacity to cut at the rate of 1,000 feet board measure 

 (83 cubic feet) for each 10 square miles of land licensed ; or to 

 spend 50,000 dollars for each 500 square miles licensed within 

 5 years in the erection and equipment of a building and plant for 

 the manufacture of pulp and paper. A royalty of 50 cents, per 

 1,000 feet board measure is payable to the Crown on all timber 



