312 TlMEHRI. 
timber of small sizes if, for instance, the committee 
should decree that greenheart should not be cut at a less 
size than Sins, by 8 ins., this wood being often required 
6ins. by 6ins. and 7ms. by 7ms. The answer is : the 
forests contain a great many other good and durable 
trees which at maturity will give those sizes. 
No doubt the selfish will say, with such restrictions 
the price of timber will rise tremendously ; what do we 
care about the future ? The price must of course rise, 
but there is plenty of room for this. Timber is now 
bought for a mere trifle, while but slight attention is being 
paid to quality. The quantity of timber exported has 
fallen off considerably owing to the bad quality of the 
timber shipped within the last few years. If such a law 
as is here proposed were in force, the quality of the 
wood would be vastly improved, and the demand for it 
would equal, and most probably surpass, the supply. 
It may be argued that the law proposed would be all very 
well for persons holding lands granted for a num- 
ber of years by the Government; but that it would be an 
infringement of the rights of those holding private pro- 
perty in the forests. Even if it were so, the individuals 
whose rights might be threatened are merely a few idle 
and worthless squatters, whereas the benefit to be 
derived from such a measure, will be enduring and 
universal. I have been part proprietor of a large tract 
of forest for many years, and had such a law been in 
force as is here proposed, that land would have been 
worth a great deal more now than it is ; for the person 
who leased, and those who stole timber from it could 
not have unscrupulously cut young and valuable trees, 
