MODERN FOREST ECONOMY. 127 
interest in keeping all right, which otherwise they would 
not have.’ 
The Commissioners then proceed to report seriatim on 
the points already submitted to them for a report. 
The report was made, accompanied by certain reserva- 
tions made by one of the Commissioners, whose opinion 
was in favour of granting certain privileges to proprietors 
of mines and manufactories as required by the circum- 
stances of the country. He was of opinion that the import 
tax was not sufficient to enable such to compete satisfac- 
torily with foreign parties, and that protective duties were 
unjust in principle, taxing the consumer for the benefit of 
the manufacturer—the many for the benefit of the few. 
He argued that if such required firewood or charcoal, and 
had it not in forests belonging to them, they would be 
crippled in their operations, and so crippled that capitalists 
would not engage in such operations, and the country 
would suffer from the non-employment of the population, 
and the non-development of the resources of the people 
and of the land; and that wardens might be employed 
in such numbers and of such a character that they would | 
prevent the abuses which might be made of privileges 
granted to such. 
Again, as it was forest conservation, and not forest 
extension, which was required, he considered the number 
of foresters employed too high, as Forest-Wardens and not 
Forest-Masters were the officials whose services were 
needed ; and in accordance with these views he counselled 
the extension of some of the forest revieren, or districts, 
which were specified, instead of the division of others 
which were specified as being too extensive. 
And he: recommended measures to secure the cultiva- 
tion of good soil, wherever found, and the letting of such 
ground in Crown forests, though involving the destruction 
of trees, as whatever might be the value of forest products 
in the central districts, this could not stand comparison 
with the products of agricultural labour. 
To this report of the Commissioners were attached 
