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By Mr. Anibal: 



Q. They have a supervisory interest under the law ? 



A. We asked the opinion of the Attorney-General with regard to 

 the fire matter, recognizing that fact that the fire was the great enemy 

 to the woods; the question that we put to the Attorney-General, had 

 we a right to mate arrests where fires were lit contrary to our orders, 

 and my understanding of it is that the Attorney-General said that 

 under the laws of the State, as they were now, we could not do it; our 

 function has been one entirely of prevention. 



By Chairman Ryan: 



Q. You could merely advise ? 



A. We advise and prescribe such rules and regulations as under the 

 law we could; it would be a very difficult matter to convict these 

 men; the law is a little bit open with regard to that, it says, where a 

 fire is willfully kindled; the word " willfully" is a stumbling block in 

 our way, to commence an action against a man who sets a fire after we 

 have warned him to comply with all of these rules, he then does it, as 

 in this instance I cited, as far as I was concerned in my own lands; it 

 is a difficult matter to bring that man before a jury of his own people; 

 he pleads poverty; he says: "All I have in the world to live from is 

 this little patch of land; I have got to plant my potatoes, or sow my 

 rye, or I can't live," and pleads sympathy, and it is a very difficult 

 matter to convict, and we have asked that a little more stringent rules 

 as to those fires should be made. 



Q. Have you recommended anything of that kind ? 



A. I think we have. , 



Mr. Anibal. — I will try to reach in as consecutive order as I can, 

 the proposed measured we have submitted to the Legislature and sug- 

 gested in regard to this matter. 



Chairman Ryan. — That is all in the law. 



Mr* Anibal.: — In that particular. 



Mr. Adams. — I would suggest that so far as this subject of fire is 

 concerned, it is not pertinent at this time because no question has 

 been made upon that subject. 



Chairman Ryan. — This will give the committee some information. 



Q. We will pass not to this question of the proposition to exchange 

 land'under the Hadley bill; I want to call the committee's attention 

 specially to the very application which was spoken of but not read in 

 detail? 



A. If the counselor will allow me in regard to fires while on that 

 subject I feel as though I would like to say a word more to the com- 



