5 
assisting to clear the boundaries of the new Reserve on Relau Hills. In March it 
was discovered that a large amount of wood was being stolen from the Forest Reserve 
at Telok Bahang and there was reason to suspect that almost the whole of the staff 
stationed at Telok Bahang, namely, two Forest Guards and two coolies, had connived 
at the offence. One of the former absconded and has not yet been arrested : against 
the other there was not sufficient evidence to warrant proceedings : but he was dis- 
missed : and one of the coolies was alsp dismissed. In consequence of this I put the 
Forrest Ranger's man at 'Telok Bahang to work as Forest Guard: and I found the 
arrangement so satisfactory that 1 kept him there during the whole of the ye^ar. 1 
recommend that for the future the pay now given to the Forest Ranger’s man of $i& 
per month be given to the Senior Forest Guard, and the former paid only $8 per month. 
This would not mean any increase in the cost of the staff : and would, I think, be a 
method of remuneration in better proportion to the services rendered by the two men 
respectively. The Forest Ranger’s man has no responsibility thrown on him, and as he 
always accompanies the Forest Ranger he has an opportunity of learning his work 
before he is put to do more responsible work. If the post of Forest Ranger’s man is 
the best paid, the Senior Forest Guard naturally expects to get it, when a vacancy 
occurs, and his services are then practically lost. 
4. For 1901 the employment of a third Forest Guard and the insertion of a vote 
of $144 for clearing the boundaries of Forest Reserves have been sanctioned. The 
vote for the maintenance of Forest Reserves which was formerly under the Land 
Office and amounted to $500 to be divided between the Land Office and this office, 
has now been split up, and a vote of $350 for this purpose allotted to this District 
for 1901. 
5. Prosecutions. As already mentioned traces of extensive wood-cutting in 
Telok Bahang Reserve were discovered during the year. None of the trees cut 
appear to have been more than six inches in diameter but a large number were cut, 
and the stumps then covered over with leaves and mould, so as to escape observation. 
A man called Tambisah was prosecuted in Penang, but it was not possible to prove 
that he had taken the wood from the Reserve and the Magistrate, before whom the 
case was tried, pointed out that there was nothing on the licence which he produced 
to prevent him cutting the wood from any Reserve, since then all licences are 
endorsed “ not to be cut from the Forest Reserve ” but it is open to doubt whether 
a new printed form would not be advisable. The man Tambisah was fined $14 for 
cutting wood of a description- other than that mentioned in his licence. Mr. CAPEL's 
tv n dal was prosecuted for clearing a small plot about 6 square feet in area, in the 
Relau Hills Reserve and making a nutmeg-tree nursery there. He tendered an 
apology to the Court, and as he had only just come to the District he was only fined 
$ 5 - For cutting bertam in the Forest Reserve on Laksamana a Chinaman was 
fined $10. 
The only other prosecution in connection with Forest Reserves during the year 
was for cutting rattan at Pantai Acheh, the defendant was discharged. 
6. During the year the District was visited by Mr. Hill from India, accom- 
panied by Messrs Ridley and Curtis .-they did not however, visit any of the 
Reserves in this District. At the suggestion of the former I append a statement of 
the expenditure on and revenue received from the work of the staff during the year. 
The Reserves of course, give no revenue, except from the undesirable ^source of 
fines for wood stealing. But as the Forest Ranger has many other duties than those 
of looking after the Reserves while the Forest Guards have to supervise the cutting 
of timber under licences, it is impossible to say what is the exact proportion ol 
expenditure on the Forest Reserves alone. 
The total expenditure thus amounted to $1,095.43, made up as follows : 
Forest Ranger’s salary 
Forest Ranger’s man salary 
Rice allowance 
Clearing boundaries of Forest Reserve 
Maintenance of Forest Reserves 
Rice allowance 
Forest Guards 
120 00 
12 00 
122 49 
206 36 
46 58 
192 00 
$L°95 43 
0 
