The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-13
Che Morfolk gost.
> TUESDAY, MARCH Is, 1856.
= THE OYSTER FUNDUM-THE
.f.1as TAX. ON, OYSTERS.
FROM the Rlthmond Thoes. !

lature, met with the most determined
Imposition from the members from the
oyster country, who commended that II
was oppressive to the poor, who lived 10y
raising and trading in oysters. we
think. however, it will be found that tlle
taxes here imposed, like all Others on
commodities ofwhatever kind, will come
at last out of the consumer. We feel
satisfied that those who eat the oysters
in Norfolk, Richmond, Petersburg, and
the other towns of the state, will pay the
tax, and not the oysterman on the bays,
rivers, creeks, and coves.
| A BILL IMPOSING A TAX ON OYSTERS
1. Be IL enacted By the General As
seD,biy, That If any creek, cove or inlet,
not exceeding one hundred yards in
breadth at its mouth, makes into the
land or lands, the owner or owners, or
other lawful occupant or occupants, shall
have the exclusive right to use said
creek, cove or inlet, for depositing, plant
ing, bedding, and sowing of oysters and
other shell fish, although such creek
cove or inlet may not be included in the
lines of any patent. g
tiers or other shell fish imbedded, planted
or sown in accordance with the first and
second sections of this act, or shall carry
or attempt to carry the same away,
without the permission of the owner or
owners thereof, shall be guilty of a
felony, and upon conviction thereof,
shall be confined in the Penitentiary for
a term not less than three nor more
than five years, at the discretion of the
jury.
8. Any person depositing, planting,
bedding or sowing oysters for the pur-
pose of SALE and selling the same, shall
pay a lax of two per centum on the
amount of his gross sales of the previous
year, ending the lst day of February,
and he shall give in To the assessor of
his district the amount of his said gross
sales of the previous year, when and in
the same manner he gives in list OF his
other taxable property; and the same
shall be entered by the assessor upon
his books in separate column, and the
said tax shall be collected by the sheriff
or collector of the county or corporation
as other taxes are collected. Any per
| son failing to comply with the provis
, ions of this section shall be fined not
less than one hundred nor more than
five hundred dollars.
4. Every person who takes or catches
oysters for sale, shall obtain a license Il
! do so from the clerk of the county. cour
|. of his county. in the mode nrescribed Ia
! hundred and one of the Code, (edittoi
| Of 1861 az amended and re-enacted b,
b the act entitled an act amending sec
tiops Fl, %, 90, %, 81, 30, 30, 23and AZ o
chapter one hundred and one of tin,
" Code. edition of 1867 concerning tn,
. taking and planting, selling and buyin,
d OF oysters. Upon obtaining said license
u he shall present the same TO one of tn
inspectors of the county appointed unde
: section thirty of said act, who shall en-
q ,iorse and number the license, and sha|
number the boat or canoe belonging t
or used BIZ the person obtaining the ii
cense. in accordance with the number G
the license. 800
S. Every person. obtaining such licens
n shall pay to the inspector. to whom h
| prese nts his license tax OF four dollars
+ and the said inspector shall not endors
r the license until the said tax il paid.
N g. If any person who takes or catcht
oysters without q license, obtained an
endorsed as prescribed in the two pre-
TX ceeding sections, shall pay q fine OF nc
less than one hundred dollars nor MOI
ia than five hundred dollars.
a 7. Every captain or officer OF a vess'
or which shall be employed III carryih
oysters taken in the waters oil virgins
shall obtain from an inspector licehs.
three dollars per ton for every ION s a,l
I'd custom-house enrolment or license; an
e, II shall be the duty of every such cal
d. tain or officer TO ha vesuch license frame
te. and SO set or placed upon the quar-,
~ deck or pinnacle of his vessel. rs TO
y exposed to the full view of every perso
who may board said vessel which I
cense shall authorize such vessel to carr
away oysters for one year. Every cal
tain or other officer of vessel withou
=, such license, shall pay fine OF not les
+" than five hundred nor more than tw
no | thousand dollars for each offence.
at 8. Every inspector who is hereby auth
4 orized to collect the taxes herein provi
q, ded for shall, before proceeding to Der
or form the duties of his office, execute I
gu the Commonwealth bond, with suffi
., % Gent security, i'm sum not less thai
it two thousand dollars, as the court b.
We which he is appointed shall prescribe
with condition faithfully to perform Tn
duties of his office, and to pay into th
treasury, before the 10Th day of th
n months Of October, February and Jun
Of of each year, all taxes received by hir
under this act. Said bond shall be an
IN proved by the court shall be forwarde,
n. to the Auditor of Public Accounts b
ed the clerk of the court. So
n 0. The said inspectors shall keep
IVA | TeguldI dCCOuut Vi all licenses grantee
d. by the clerk of the county court an,
jst presented to him. and of all license
granted by him, and the taxes receives
n :, by him, and shall make return there
q, OF, on oath, to the Auditor Of Public Ac
counts i'm the months of October, Eel
ar ruary and June, and shall paw tn
amount of said taxes into the treasur
on or before the fifteenth day of sal
months, respectively; and on the amour
of the taxes paid in by the time pre
scribed the Auditor shall allow to hin
on a compensation of ten per centum; bu
=, If not paid in until after that day, h
"a shall be allowed not more than five pc
nd centum upon the amount, in the discre
ton of the Auditor. s"e
10. The clerk of the court shall re
turn to the Auditor, by the first day {
the months of October, February au
June, statement of the licenses granite
by the court, and the names of the pc
5 sons to whom granted. 4
g IL. The provisions of chapter one hur
dred and one of the Code, edition ,
, 1901, as amended by the act entitled a
Act amending sections q, %, %, Is, 2
j 80, 81, 33, Al, chapter one hundred an
one of the Code, edition of 1880. COZ
corning the taking and planting, sellir
, and buying of oysters, shall be apple
wn to the officers and other persons me-
> toned In this act so far ~ the same a