230 TlMEHRI. 
thus brought under the Acreage Tax. The majority of 
these things might be collected without injury to the 
forest, and therefore without supervision in the act, and 
it would be better that they should be utilized, if it be 
possible, and made to contribute to the good of the 
country, rather than be left to waste on the ground ; 
but the knowledge that such trade is illegal deters 
responsible men from entering upon it. The collectors 
of these substances should be recognised, and, like 
grant-holders, be required to obtain a licence for the 
business, which might be renewed annually, with per- 
mission to employ any necessary sub-collectors. 
No important reform, however, can be effected in the 
forest administration without the appointment of special 
Forest Officers, whose sole duty should be confined to 
looking after the forests, both Crown lands and grants, 
and collecting the revenue from them. The conditions 
which prevail in this country do not require that they 
should be men who have passed an expensive training in 
scientific economic forestry at a recognized Forest 
School. The difficult problems which have to be dealt 
with in afforesting a country which has been denuded of 
its primitive sylvan vegetation, or in one that is densely 
populated, have not to be faced here. As I have said, 
under the prevailing climatic conditions of this country 
the forest will maintain itself. The only, but great, 
danger is that under bad forest laws and reckless cutting 
its character may be gradually changed wherever it is 
worked, from good to bad. The primary object of con- 
servancy should be to see that in being used it is not 
abused, — that in taking off the available crop at intervals 
such rules and precautions are observed that the charac- 
