REPORTS ON THE OPERATIONS UNDER “ THE COCO-NUT TREES 
PRESERVATION ORpINANCE,” DURING 1898. 
Singapore ) 18th January, tSgg. 
The Inspector and Tree-climber made daily visits to the various coco-nut tree 
plantations saw-mills and tanneries. Three hundred and fifty-four (354) notices 
were served on persons owning infected or dead trees, or piles of cow-dung, 
saw-dust, refuse, tan-bark or other vegetable refuse containing beetles, and 1,636 
trees and forty piles of saw-dust and tan-bark, etc. were destroyed. A hundred 
trees for which no owner could be found were destroyed by coolies employed by 
the Department, and more would have been done on abandoned lands near Balestier 
Plain and Gelang had the vote permitted it. There were twehe prosecutions for 
non-compliance with the notices, and fines to the amount of $28 were inflicted. Some 
trouble was caused by the persons prosecuted, who would, on receipt of the summons, 
cut down a single tree and apply for further time as the work was not finished. The 
Magistrate would grant an extension, and no more work would be done till a second 
summons was taken out, when the owner would either ask for a further extension of 
time, or quickly cub down the trees and state in Court that the work was done, when 
the case would be dismissed without any penalty being inflicted. Meanwhile his 
neglected trees were infecting those of his neighbours. The attention of the Magis- 
trate being called to this trick, it was put a stop to. 
Vote for 1898, . , , . . ... $350.00 
Expenditure. 
Salaries of Inspector and Tree-climber, .. $238.45 
Extra coolies employed temporarily, ... 14.00 
Transport 93 .52 
Uniform, 3.50 
Balance, , ... , ... 0.53 
$350.00 
H. N,. RIDLEY, 
Director . 
Resident Councillor s Office, 
Penang , 4th February , i8gg . 
Sir, — l have the honour to forward a return furnished by the Assistant Superin- 
tendent of Forests of the operations of the department u nder ,f The Coco-nut Trees 
Preservation Ordinance.” 
2. Mr. CURTIS thinks that there is enough work in the Province to keep the 
Inspector employed all the time. 
3. No return is kept of the number or kind of beetles destroyed, as this is not 
done by the department, the duties of the staff being confined to inspecting planta- 
tions and warning and prosecuting the owners. 
1 have, &e., 
The Hon'ble 
the Celental Secretary, S. S. 
J.-K. BIRCH, 
Acting Resident Councillor . 
