004
Objects and Reasons.
1. The afforestation operations of the Botanical and Forestry Department are greatly hampered by the practice of cutting and stealing the trees in the affor- estation areas. Very young trees are sometimes also cut in the course of grass cutting. The areas in question are so widely spread that it is difficult to detect and catch offenders. Que expedient adopted by them is to hide their cutting implements in a plantation, so that they are not found approaching the plantation or com- ing from it with any cutting implements. Further, if while engaged in cutting in a plantation they see forest guards approaching, they hide their implements and, when questioned, say that they are merely passing through the plantation. The forest guards have to proceed on their patrol and the wood stealer can then recover his implements and continue his cutting.
2. This bill is an attempt to preserve the plantations from such depredations by making it an offence to enter any prohibited forestry area without lawful authority or excuse. It will be much easier to detect and prove presence in such an area than to prove actual cutting or stealing.
3. The area will be declared by the Governor in Council in each case to be a prohibited area, and the boundaries will be marked or indicated by means of fire barriers or otherwise. Warning notices in English and Chinese will be placed along the boundaries at intervals not greater than 440 yards.
4. It is obviously necessary to make the prohibition of entry into the prohibited area an absolute one apply- ing to all persons, because it is clearly impossible to distinguish the class of persons who would be likely to cut and steal wood. This absolute prohibition, which thus seems to be necessary in any case, has the addi- tional advantage of tending to prevent damage by fire or by trampling which might be caused through the carelessness of shooting and picnic parties.
5. As the prohibition will be absolute, regulations in the Schedule to the Wild Birds Ordinance. 1922, Ordinance No. 15 of 1922, are being amended so as to prohibit the shooting or taking of game in an area prohibited under the present Ordinance, or the entry inte such an area in pursuit of game or for the purpose of taking nests or eggs. The regulations in question will be further amended so as to provide for the inser- tion on the form of game licence of a note drawing attention to the prohibition now proposed. A draft of the proposed regulations is published with this bill.
6. The Ordinance does not apply to the New Terri- tories (other than New Kowloon), and the only area which it is at present proposed to declare a próhibited area is a certain portion of the hillside between Tai Tam Harbour on the west and Big Wave Bay and Shek O on the east.
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22nd June, 1927.
J. H. KEMP.
Attorney General.