1 ( 40 )
2 is the timber of the future, should not get a bad name, that I shall not proposo
3 ee eee ee ee asking the Northern State Railway to take their 15,000
4 ting this timbera bad name Sleepers, unless they can be creosoted ; for I do not believe
5 hy allowing ite use unm- that “chil” will stand otherwise. Should 15,000 sleepers
6 as a ao be put down uwncreosoted and fail, there will be a loud out-
7 cry, and the timber will get a bad name which it will not really deserve.
8 237, As soon as the date of the contractor's work expired, I stopped it,
9 had a careful account taken of what he had done, and did the rest under good
10 supervision direct. It is confidently hoped that all the good timber will be
11 actually at depot by the middle of the season of 1872. The bad timber in the
12 Gurdaspir forests has been converted into charcoal, to pay its expenses; no
13 doubt much of the deterioration might have been spared, had not the contractor
14 delayed in bringing it out.
15 238. On his part he makes excuses:—The Deputy Commissioner of
16 Re nes Kadngra stopped his work for a number of days, nearly a
17 "month, without any authority whatever, (and that officer
18 must be answerable if indeed any answer is necded) ; and again, all his carts
19 were stopped, so that the road prepared for the Viceroy’s progress might not
20 be cut up, &c.; lastly, he complains that we ourselves did not let him cut up
21 certuin logs into sleepers at Wazir Bholar, and thereby prevented his fulfil-
22 ling his tale of work, so as to become entitled to a further advance, whonce
23 he failed. Iam in communication with Mr. Scarlett, on behalf of the contiac-
24 tor, and hope to settle the matter amicably without loss.
25 239. If this timber could be now creosoted at once, it would prove, not-
26 Profit notexpectod, unless Withstanding the above defects, a satisfactory and well-
27 the State can orevsote and = paying undertaking ; but if none of the timber can be
28 Mena _ utilized for State purposes, and must all be sold off, it will
29 not be profitable in the way of giving a large cash surplus.
30 240. Before quitting the forest work, I should give an account of the
31 Freo grants to right-holdors, number of trees felled for pernut-holders or frec grantoes.
32 Reporta containing no 241,
33 The Jhelam report, which is very meagre, gives
34 information.
35 no information either about Kaghan or Réwalpindi.
36 242, In the Chondb, also, the subject is not mentioned, which is inexcusa-
37 ble, considering that this is the lightest division of all as regards work.
38 243, On the Ravi, the lease stipulates that not more than 300 trees of
39 Chamba State, Broach of @e0dar should be cut in any one year in the exercise of
40 the lease by excessive fell. rights to agricultural, domestic and public works timber,
41 ag and a return is sent to Conservator. The returns are, how-
42 ever, always so inaccurate that I must invite the attention of Government to the
43 subject. In the year under report, while the Chamba State return shows only
44 207 trees felled, 1 have ascertained by enquiring that 433 trees additional
45 were felled, without being entered in the report, making up double the number,
46 besides which the people felled 689 of P. Eacelsa and P. Longifolia, 137 of Abies
47 Smithiana, and 14 Shisham trecs. Separate from these, also, the Assistant
48 Conservator granted 29 deodars and a few of other kinds.
49 244. It is necessary to anuounce most distinctly, and I trust Government
50 Caution to the people Will approve this, that if in contravention of the lease
51 pseu ae (nade to protect the interest of the people) the local
52 authorities allow trees to be cut, and the unreserved forest to be wasted and
53 destroyed, when the supply is done, trees will no¢é be granted from the reserv-
54 ed forests. If granted at all, they will be sold at the full price, and only where
55 the most exact conservancy will warrant their being felled. I wish this to be
56 stated, as I fear the people will, at this rate, cut down every thing they have,
57 Demand cannot be met and then come to uscrying out for timber, which it is
58 from ** Itoserved Forests,” the express object of the lease to reserve. Mr. Elliott
59 believes that the number now reported is less not more thanthat felled in other
60 dani: and that the number (300) is habitually exceeded, This must he put a
61 stop to,