202 



FORESTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



and it is much to be regretted that the Government has alienated 

 this great national wealth for so long a period and for such 

 inadequate payments, as indicated above. The Government 

 has, apparently, done this in the desire to develop the working 

 of the forests and thereby provide work for the population 

 during times of the year when the fishing is slack. This was, no 

 doubt, a laudable object, but it could have been obtained at a 

 less disastrous sacrifice. There can be no excuse for extending the 

 licences over so long a period as 99 years, and though the rates 

 of rent and royalty had to be low for a number of years, it should 

 have been recognised that those actually fixed are so low that this 

 valuable State property has practically been given away for 

 almost nothing. Unless the working of the licences permits an 

 enhancement of the rates, future payments for forest conservancy 

 measures will represent the penalty which the State will have to 

 meet to make up for the want of foresight on the part of past 

 Governments. 



The above notes do not apply to Labrador, the available 

 information for which is too meagre to permit of a description of 

 fhe forestry question in that part of the Dominion. 



F. FORESTRY IN THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



(No. 12 on Map). 



SECTION I.-SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 



The Union consists at present of four States, which are situated 

 between the 22nd and 35th degrees of southern latitude and 

 the 17th and 33rd degrees of eastern longitude. Their areas 

 and population are as follows : — - 



The population had increased during the previous 7 years by 

 15 per cent., and it was expected that it would be doubled in 

 about 50 years. Of the population only 1 ,276,000 were Europeans 



