314 FORESTRY IN THE CROWN COLONIES. 



nearly all cases the work is carried out under the advice of a 

 Government forest officer. 



The Forest Authority. — The present stafi is as follows : Director 

 of Forests, 1 ; Conservators of Forests, 11 ; Assistant Conser- 

 vators, 12 ; European Foresters, 13 ; Native Stafi Rangers, 

 Foresters and Forest Guards, 250. 



Conservators hold charge of Circles, and Assistant Conservators 

 of Divisions. European Foresters are in charge of plantations 

 and departmental timber exploitations under a Conservator. 

 Practically all charges correspond with the political divisions of 

 the country. 



The functions of the Department are at present confined to 

 administering the provisions of the Forest Ordinance as regards 

 protected trees and protected minor produce, the constitution of 

 forest reserves and to experimental planting. When the staff 

 has been increased it will be possible to undertake a more detailed 

 inventory of the forests and the preparation of Working Plans. 



The cost of the Department is as follows : — 



£ 

 Cost of staff . . . 17,305 



Other charges . 



Total cost 

 Receipts . 



Deficit . 



10,105 



27,410 

 20,780 



£6,630 



The Forest Department exploits all the timber (about 500,000 

 cubic feet) required by the PubHc Works Department. 



Several companies and private individuals exploit mahogany 

 and also so-called African walnut and teak. They hold licences 

 giving them the exclusive right to extract these timbers from 

 definite areas. One company exploits mangroves only. 



Education, Research and Experimental Work. — The recruitment 

 of the European staff is generally done by the Secretary of State 

 for the Colonies. A school for the training of the native staff was 

 started, but it had to be closed down again owing to the shortness 

 of the European staff. 



No attempt at special research has as yet been made. Experi- 

 mental planting with indigenous and exotic species has been done 



