1 ( 24 )
2 123. Regular quarterly returns are now furnished to the Forest Office of
3 the collections in the different districts.
4 124. Timber operations being very limited and likely to be so for some
5 time, the forest officers might be utilized in the.dis-
6 tricts to a large extent, and very profitably, in going
7 about to see how the revenue from forest produce is collocted, and how this
8 revenue might bo improved; they would be able to check malpractices of all
9 kinds, and prevent jhooming in rich forest tracts which should be protected.
10 General remarks.
11 125. All this cannot be looked after by the civil officers, whose whole
12 time is taken up by multitudinous duties, and who cannot therefore go into
13 forest districts to examine what 1s being done by their subordinates.
14 126. The plan introduced this year by the Government of Bengal, of
15 lacing the local forest officers in Assam under the Commissioner of the division,
16 is an excellent one for these purposes, and might perhaps with advantage
17 be extended.
18 127. The forest revenue would probably soon show considerable increase,
19 as the forest officer would have an interest in it, as being connected with it,
20 which they are not now, and they would be usefully employed during a portion
21 of the year when, without timber operations to look after, they have not much
22 to do. The Commissioner could easily keep them under control and make use
23 of them in various local matters of inquiry much more effectively than the
24 Conservator at such a distance can do, and they would gradually become
25 intimately acquainted with all parts of the forests.
26 128. A further application of this system will, it is hoped, be possible.
27 SECTION IV.
28 GENERAL.
29 129. The previous Sections of this roport have given in detail the work
30 Remarks on progress and causes Which has been done during the year in each divi-
31 which tend to retard it. sion; it is with much regret that so little appa-
32 rent progress is recorded. This slow progress is a source of constant anxiety
33 to the Conservator, but the growth of forest administration is to a certain
34 degree necessarily slow ; and apart from this, there are other causes which in
35 the Lower Provinces just now are not calculated to accclerate motion. Some
36 of the causes may be thus referred to.
37 130. First, as regards experienced officers. It is evidently difficult to
38 find such mon to fill important posts, and apparently it has been impossible
39 to send any to Lower Bengal ; but much which might and should be done has
40 to lie in abeyance until experienced officers have been obtained.
41 131. The divisions here are very large and at great distances from uny
42 centre ; thus it becomes more necessary here, as has been before stated, to have
43 experienced men in charge, who, having once received instructions for work,
44 can carry out the necessary steps and go on somewhat independently and with-
45 out reference regarding every little detail to the Conservator, who may be a
46 fifteen days’ dak or more distant.
47 132. The immense extent of the territorics to be traversed, and the tardy
48 communication by post, tend to create delays and defeat the most anxious desire
49 for quicker progress. Looking, however, to other provinces, and the advances
50 made in them since the introduction of forest conservancy, perhaps after all
51 it will be found that these provinces are not far behind.
52 133. Again, if timber were plentiful in the forests and readily saleable in
53 the markets, all would go on briskly, and there would be no apparent want of