9 
double for converted Cipher. On timber of the unreserved kinds in Upper Burma 
they are ; 
For soecial 
Other 
timl 
woods. 
Logs -D ft. in girth and over 
&2. t 
* * • M 
§0.66 
each. 
Log 2 '-4 '5" in girth 
Posts i'o" to i'll* in girth 
i- 3 o 
0 33 
6.66 
per 1 oo. 
Poles below l'o v in girth 
... 1 
o -33 
Converted timber 
5-33 
i -33 
per ton. 
I would suggest, if my proposal to declare certain trees reserved be acted upon, 
that licences be issued at a fixed fee per tree and that royalty be levied at <jj>4 por ton 
on all timber of the reserved kinds in the round, and at per ton on all converted 
timber. For unreserved woods a similar scale to that above might suffice. 
Should the wood-cutter's tax be continued in the Dindings half the rates of royalty 
taken elsewhere might be prescribed for that territory. 
9. All minor forest produce should be utilized , as far as there is a demand for 
it , whether found in the reserves or on the unreserved Crown Lands. 
Such products as palms, canes (rotan) caoutchouc, wood-oil, resin, natural 
varnish, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits as well as seeds, creepers and grasses can not 
only be removed without doing harm to the timber trees and chief products, including 
even “ Gutta Percha” the trees of which should be known and tended: but often with 
advantage to the main forest crop. 
Their collection, as well as that of honey and wax, etc., may continue to be permit- 
ted on the present system of persona/ monthly tax both in and outside reserves ‘ but I 
recommend that double the rates charged for unreserved lands be imposed on those 
collecting in reserves and it would be well that licences for the reserves should be of 
a different colour from the others. 
to. A certain number of Rangers trained in forest work should be employed, 
and l further suggest the appointment of a trained Forest Officer with ex- 
perience to inspect and advise as to the carrying out of any works and 
on all matters connected with the administration of the forests. 
The Department, as organized prior to 1895, did much good work in connec- 
tion with the selection and demarcation of the reserves: but once this work was 
accomplished and the protection of the demarcated areas was the chief business 1 am 
of opinion that the Government acted wisely in handing over to the Collectors of 
Land Revenue and District Officers the charge of the torest reserves. The districts 
are all small, compared with what is known as a District in India, for there are ten 
Officers for 1,525 square miles. 1 he unreserved Crown Lands had all along been in 
charge of the District Officers, and living within their districts they were, and still are, 
the best and cheapest agency for conserving the reserves. There may be the tempta- 
tion to disafforest areas for which cultivators or planters are applying, but it may be 
assumed that the Government, which has determined on the reservation ol a tract of 
land with the conviction that it ought to be maintained under forest, is sufficiently 
alive to the necessity for a continuous policy, and aware that such policy where tim- 
ber trees are concerned must, to be of any use, extend over a century or more. 
In India the District Officer is responsible for the forests of his District, and the 
arrangement works well. I believe it is the only possible starting point for any rea- 
sonably economical system of forest conservancy in the Straits Settlements. A De- 
partment which consists of one, two or three highly paid scientific Officials and 20 or 
30 Forests Guards or patrols cannot be effective and its development on practical 
lines would be too expensive to be justifiable. District Officers have their Land 
Office subordinates [Forest Rangers they have been rather inappropriately termed 
by the Crown Lands Act) to overlook the protective establishment employed for the 
reserves and assist in the supervision of their work of boundary clearing and of pre- 
vention of theft or encroachment. The same officers of themselves or through local 
headmen (Penghulus) protect, and control the exploitation from unreserved Crown 
Lands. So far nothing more is require^ ^vond letting it be understood that all 
n 
