An Act Authorizing the Pasturing of Horses, Cattle, Carabaos, Sheep, and Goats on Public Lands in the Mountain Province, the Moro Province, Nueva Vizcaya, and Agusan

March 16, 1912

ACT NO. 2176

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE PASTURING OF HORSES, CATTLE, CARABAOS, SHEEP, AND GOATS ON PUBLIC LANDS IN THE MOUNTAIN PROVINCE, THE MORO PROVINCE, NUEVA VIZCAYA, AND AGUSAN

SECTION 1. The pasturing of horses, cattle, carabaos, sheep, and goats upon unoccupied unclaimed public lands in the Mountain Province, the Moro Province, Nueva Vizcaya, and Agusan is hereby authorized. Any person wishing to avail himself of this privilege may apply to the provincial treasurer, or his duly authorized deputy, for a license, specifying the number and kind of animals which he wishes to pasture on public land, together with their brands or distinguishing marks, if any, and shall indicate in general terms the territory which he desires to so use.

SECTION 2. No charge shall be made for a license to pasture animals on public lands if the total number of animals to be pastured by the applicant is one hundred or less. On all in excess of one hundred the fee collected shall be fifty centavos per head per year for horses, cattle, or carabaos, and twenty centavos per head per year for sheep or goats. The fees so collected shall be deposited in the Insular Treasury as a miscellaneous receipt.

SECTION 3. Applications for the renewal of licenses shall be made to the provincial treasurer, or his duly authorized deputy, on or before the first day of January of each year, and any license for the renewal of which no application is made before this date may be forfeited.

SECTION 4. The license shall specify the number and kind of animals authorized to be pastured on public land, and shall indicate in general terms the territory within which they may be pastured.

SECTION 5. Persons pasturing animals on public lands shall gain no title or claim of any sort whatsoever to the land on which their animals are pastured, nor shall such land be deemed to be occupied within the meaning of the Public Land Act, but shall remain subject to homestead entry, lease, or purchase.

SECTION 6. In issuing grazing licenses, provincial treasurers and their deputies shall exercise due care so to adjust the number of animals authorized to be pastured on any given tract that the pasturage will be improved by the keeping down of brush and the ranker grasses, and not injured by excessively close grazing.

SECTION 7. Subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of Lands is hereby authorized to prescribe rules and regulations for the carrying out of this Act.

SECTION 8. Animals shall not be permitted to graze on public lands where, in the opinion of the Director of Forestry, they would be likely to cause any serious injury to valuable young forest growth. TIADCc

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, March 16, 1912.