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over in the region of Lake George, why could not this commission 

 give the same consents, the same licenses for occupation, temporary 

 occupation, that were formerly given by the commissioners of the land 

 office, what objection was there to that ? 



A. Oh, simply because I don't know whether the commissioners of 

 the land office granted these permissions in accordance with law or 

 not; I am not prepared to say to that. 



Q. You mistook my question; I say if the commissioners of the land 

 office had granted these* permissions for a long series of years to 

 people to occupy, and give them further permission that they might 

 erect cottages, what was to hinder your commission from granting 

 like permissions; why not follow the practice of the commissioners of 

 the land office ? 



A. Because the act creating a forest commission forbids us to sell, 

 alienate or sell or grant any permits; we construed that to mean any 

 franchise or right in the land, of any nature. 



Q. Does a bare license create any interest in the land, you are a 

 lawyer? 



A. Well, no; a license to occupy? 



Q. Yes; a license without limit and without consideration, does that 

 confer any interest in the land ? 



A. I don't know that it does. 



Q. That is precisely what you state the commissioners of the land 

 office had done in this instance; isn't it a bare permission to go in 

 without any limit ? 



A. I suppose so; I haven't got the language of any of the permis- 

 sions before me. 



Q. Why couldn't you; what was to hinder your continuing this 

 practice of twenty-five years that came to you from the commissioners 

 of the land office ? 



A. Because we interpreted the act to forbid it. 



Q. Now, in regard to redemptions and cancellations, you differed 

 with the Comptroller's office in your views, did you not ? 



A. Sometimes we did. 



Q. Did you ever appear in the Comptroller's office to oppose any 

 case of redemption or any case of cancellation ? 



A. I, personally? 



Q. Yes, the commission ? 



A. Yes. 



Q. On how many occasions ? 



A. I can't recall one simply. 



Q. When was it ? 



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