STRAITS SET TIE M E N T S . 
Paper, to be Iaid before the Legislative Council by Command 
of His Exc.elleney the Governor. 
Report on the Forests of the Straits Settlements. 
introduction; 
1. Haring leeeived instructions from His Excellency the 
^ raw U P a Report on the Forests and Forest Lands 
or the Colony, and make recommendations for their better 
management, I commenced, in March 1882*a tour of inspection 
or the various districts compr >d within the Settlements in 
order to make myself fully r hated with the special circum- 
stances and conditions prev . ng in each. 
Vi 2 * n W ^ T h f 7iew J° S iviu g a clear idea of these conditions, 
l have divided my Report into two parts ; in the former will 
be found detailed the present state of the forests and circum- 
stances which affect forest growth • and the latter contains my 
recommendations. ■ J 
3. It is apparent that no sufficient attempts have been 
made to conserve the Government forest lands, and that 
nothing has been done towards utilising the extensive grass 
wastes that are to be seen throughout the Settlements. The 
present state of affairs is the result of a reckless, migrator v 
cultivation carried on by the Chinese, and this extensive 
deforestation has brought with it its attendant evils. Our 
limber supply has fallen far short of the demand, and the 
ciimate of the Colonyys becoming sensibly affected. 
4. It is not contended that the total Rainfall of the year 
has decreased, but owing to the removal of the tree covering 
that great equaliser of Rainfall— showers have become less fre- 
quent and more local than formerly * and droughts of mipre- 
V'jV 11 L( t ei hV 1 occurred, thereby increasing the possi- 
bility of epidemics. Those fertilising showers ‘ which once ' 
watered the whole surface of the Settlements are now confined 
more frequently to the hill tops and higher elevations, the soil 
and the prospects of agriculture being thus impaired, and the 
temperature of the plains being raised. The hill streams run 
, 8 reate y irregularity and many of the smaller .streams have 
become entirely (tried up. 
. ^ ias keen said that, at home as Well as in their Colo- 
nies, other nations pay earlier attention to the conservation of - 
forests, than the English ; and it is hard to conceive a more 
short-sighted policy than that which has suffered these Settle- ’ 
meats to drift into, their present condition of scarcity of forest 
and forest produce. * “ 
6. It lias, however, remained for His Excellency the Gov- 
ernor to propose the inauguration of those remedial measures ' 
