1 ( 21 )
2 110. It will probably bo advisable to adopt before long some regular
3 system of management in forests which are in charge of the civil authorities.
4 Indeed, this is provided for in the proposed new Forest Bill, and has in some
5 measure been introduced in the Central Provinces. In Assam some measure of
6 this kind would be very advantageous, aud is indeed absolutely necessary if
7 every 100 acres of tca require 300 acres of forests to make into charcoal for
8 manufacture. This subject has received attention, and will be discussed with
9 the Commissioner on the first opportunity.
10 SECTION V.
11 FINANCIAL.
12 111. The following statement gives the financial results of the year :—
13 Receipts— Rs.
14 Collections by the Forest Department were ... — 78,560
15 By civil officers as ee ee 60,529
16 Total es 1,389,089
17 Deduct—
18 Charges of the Department _... ee as 1,08,339
19 30,750
20 Add—
21 Difference between assets and liabilities __... Pe 679
22 Total surplus ... 31,429
23 112. The Forest Department alone, with its heavy expenditure on fiscally
24 unremuncrative establishment, shows a cash deficit of Its. 29,779.
25 113. The total revenue received from the forests, however, exclusive of
26 rent of Soom forests, shows a yearly surplus of revenue over expenditure, and
27 this revenue should gradually increase considerably, while expenditure should
28 gradually decrease.
29 114. The Government of India, in letter No. 14F, dated 16th January
30 1871, sanctioned the purchase of 8 more elephants ;
31 of these 4 were purchased during 1871-72. The
32 department previously owned 5, so that it had at the end of the year 9
33 elephants, viz.—
34 Purchase of elephants.
35 2 Cooch Behar,
36 2 Bhaugulpore,
37 4 Assam,
38 1 Dacca,
39 leaving four still to purchase.
40 It is impossible to get over the country without clephants, and each officer
41 should have two in his charge to enable him to go into the district with any
42 degree of comfort consistent with health. He has not only his own tent and
43 baggage to take with him, but that of hisscrvants and other attendants, besides
44 considerable stores of rice for both man and beast, asit is not readily procurable
45 in the forest districts.
46 115. The Conservator requires four, as he has a clerk, extra tents, and
47 records, to take with him, and he is at a great distance from his head-quarters,
48 and must take considerable supplies with him.
49 116. Each officer has now becn provided with a tent, thus expenditure
50 : under these heads will in future be much Iess.
51 ents provided for all officers