Anon. (1826) Letter to the Editor. Prince Edward Island Register, Charlottetown. 20 June1826, p. 1.

The following lengthy letter took up most of the front page of the Prince Edward Island Register on 26 June 7826. The letter is almost entirely concerned with a subject that is rarely referred to in the general literature: the theft of timber from proprietors’ land. It contains some very informative general statements about the extent of the practice (it would seem to have been very common), and of the lax attitude of the local population to such theft, both of the farmer—settler and of the timber merchant. It would seem that any trees growing on unoccupied townships were viewed as fair game — an attitude that seemingly still prevails in the twentieth—first century among some islanders — as witness the blatant theft of ground hemlock from private property! The author does not identify himself, but clearly he is someone who has the interests of the proprietors at heart — he may be a resident proprietor himself, or a land agent — and from the amount of legal detail in the letter, he may also be a lawyer. It would seem that the regulations proposed by the writer were never introduced — (see House of Assembly 1773-1849: ( 7833), for an act passed in the 18308, which made little change to the earlier law of l 780).

ON TIMBER-STEALING. MR. EDITOR. This may appear a harsh heading for an article in a public print; but of what avail, to call things by wrong names?

The practice of clandestinely cutting Timber has been a very serious detriment to the property of Proprietors of Townships, but generally a much greater evil to the parties engaged in this illegal business. During a late inspection of a Township it was ascertained, that all the settlers had been, and some of them Timber theft deeply, engaged in making timber, and that the whole of them, with very few com/"0"- exceptions, were under the shameful necessity of purchasing provisions for their families, though settled on their occupations for a period varying from 20 to 4 yearsll [sic]. One individual, on being asked if he had out much timber, not merely confessed, but with great sang froid expressed his determination to have Anecdotal more, even though the proprietor were himself present. This corroborates what ”amp/es, a person of large landed property is represented to have once said — "that if he held a stick by one end they would contrive to get it from him." One said he had known timber sold, stolen, and resold, three several times. A settler in the neighbourhood, who, during a few years past, had made some thousand tons, confessed that it had made him poor and kept him so; and it seems to be a general feeling that timber-making has been a very serious detriment to them; and how could it be otherwise? The land has been much neglected, very little cleared during many years, and no produce raised for sale; whereas, if the parties had stuck to their farms, every acre brought into cultivation wou'd make an annual return, and the increased and growing profits of labor every year leave an enlarged and cheering balance in favor of the industrious husbandman.

Detrimental to farming.

Poaching and timber-stealing are alike demoralizing. The youth at first enticed by older hands, goes out for mere frolic perhaps, meets with a successful night, fancies poaching an easier way of living than day labor, haunts the ale-house, becomes vicious and depraved, is made ready and willing to embrace every offered temptation, and frequently ends his guilty career by an ignominious death, the just penalty of some more flagrant crime; and although timber- stealing may not terminate in so dreadful a result, its consequences are sufficiently melancholy. The young timber—getter is allured by the hope of being well paid for his winter's work; 100 tons of timber, at from 15 to 20 shillings The perils for per ton, will yield a large sum, and procure implements, stock, and clothing for ”7? Young his family; and perhaps he promises himself that when he has procured such It’mbe’geuefl and such things, he will cleave to his proper business and best interest, his

farming. He bargains with a merchant, obtains credit, and commences

operations; but it is cold work in the woods, he must have spirits and there

Equivalent to p oachin g.

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