1 that has beon done in the forests has been to keep out fires and destruction, to
2 cut but few trees—those being standing dead ones, of which there are a large
3 number—the result of former years’ fires, &c. This wood is difficult to cut, but
4 is, if taken in time, quite sound. Aftera short time, however, the wood gets
5 attacked by insects, and notably by a huge larva of one of the Lamellicorn
6 Beetles (Cerambyx species?), and then deteriorates. Much work also had to be
7 done in the way of clearing out logs left by contractors. I had to make a special
8 visit and settle these cases, and have,already submitted a detailed report to
9 Government, which may be briefly alluded to here.
10 141. The conditions of labor are that local labor is all under the practical
11 coutrol of the Syad jagirdars of the valley. With the
12 assistance and countenance of these men, labor is cheap ;
13 indeed, if aSyad is himself the contractor, he gets work for nothing; if the
14 Syad does not help, the people will not stir ; aud excellent and efficient, but
15 expensive, labor of Kdébuli and Pathdn coolies has to be imported. A number
16 of contractors, I suppose relying on prospects of conciliating and securing
17 local assistance, undertook works in 1868-1869, when extra fellings had to be
18 made for the supply of the State Railway works: they did so at rates
19 which could only pay under those favorable conditions. J*ailing to get assistance,
20 they one after the other gave up or absconded, all having done part of their
21 work, [ may here mention (though it is a financial inatter) that by an erroneous
22 system of account large outstandings were piled up against these men,—no
23 credit being allowed for really useful work partly done. On fairly crediting this,
24 the outstandinys have all disappeared, except in one case of Ks. 500, in which a
25 Iattle progress owmg to SUIt for recovery will have to be brought. The clearing
26 the ofheer in charge beng Out of the rest of the work occupied a part of the year,
27 eee ee and also the clearing of the river. The work in Kaghan
28 leaves, I reget to say, nothing to record in the way of improvement of the river-
29 way (one of the pressing wants), owing to Mr. Murray having been compelled to
30 leave the division and proceed to the lower river at once,
31 Mr. Neville Wroughton, the officer therein charge, having
32 been overcome by some mental trouble (the nature of
33 which can only be conjectured), and committed suicide at Dalydl, 11 miles from
34 Jhelam, in August 1871.
35 Failure of contracts.
36 Suicide of Mr. Wrough-
37 tou.
38 142. Such work as could be continued Mr. Murray (in this under-officored
39 Work loft in charge of division) left in charge of the head native officer. This
40 oe person immediately signallized his position by endeavoring
41 to prepare returns of labor much in excess of what had actually been entertained.
42 A refusal to pay according to the rolls followed, and, after
43 the ‘mates,’ or employers of gangs, had worked for some
44 months, they confessed to Mr. Murray and to me (us ] went up just after the
45 close of the year to clear out the case), and, on giving reasonable demands of
46 labor and abandoning the overcharge, were settled with. Circumstances, the
47 detail of which would be tedious, leading to doubt whether the officer could be
48 prosecuted with certainty (and an acquittal in such cases is far worse than no
49 His diemussal. trial at all), he was dismissed the service.
50 His conduct.
51 143. J’lanteng.—6,136 young deodar plants were put out, at six feet apart,
52 in the Mal Kandi Forest (Kaghan). M1. Murray’s report is
53 meagre on this head. Uealso alludes to the Cedrus
54 Atlantica, which was »ewn, but no result is given.* I have learned that here,
55 aus elsewhere, it failed. The seed sent me in cones was, T saw from the first, unripe,
56 and nowhere germimated; that sent separately nearly everywhere failed to
57 germinate. A special report on this seed will be submitted.
58 144. Ldwalpind: Forests.—sSome account of the state of these forests has
59 . Fyn : °> ° v e
60 Réwalpmnits Horeate: already been given. The impossibility of any lmprove-
61 eee ment under the existing system was also spoken of, and
62 intimation given that rules had been prepared on the basis of a separation of
63 forests for strict conservancy.
64 Planting.
65 Ss
66 “1 have since heard that im this as in all trials, the seed tailed to yermunate, confirunng by anticipation
67 that it was sent unripe,