The Portland daily press., 1885-01-30
FROM AUGUSTA.
Bill to Provide for State Board
of Medical Examiners.
Petition Asking for Change in Capital
Punishment Law.
Heering Upon the Petition to Re-
peal Portion of the Lobster
Law.
Special to the Press.)

When the resolve appropristing 2S,276.44
came up on its passage to be engrosSed in the
Senate to-day, Senator Marble called for an
explanation. Senators Cole of Cumberland
and Parkhurst of Aroostook replied that it was
on account Of the liabilities incurred by the
trustees Of insane hospital in finishing and fur
nishing the male and female pavilions which
includes the construction of tramway and cor
ridor, new boiler, resetting old boiler, enlarg-
ing boiler hoBse, and in erecting new pumping
station at the river. The resolve was passed
BY vote of 25 to /, Senator Allen tof Knox
being the only one who voted in the negative,
Mr.. Powers of Houlton introduced bill in
the House to regulate the practice of medi-
cine By examination and registration. 1t pro-
vides for State beard of medical examination
to consist of five to be appointed by the Gov
ernor, who are to serve free from expense to
the State, bu9 who are to be paid by the fees
of candidates. 1t allows every one now In
practice to register as q matter Of right but
after January 1, 1886, then comes examine
tion. 1t forbids practicing after that tim
without registration.
An amendatory bill was introduced in rela.
tion to the law on assaults, 80 that whoever
wantonly and wilfully insults or annoys an
other by looks, words or gestures, liable to
provoke breach of the peace. is guilty of an
assault.
The Lewiston & Auburn Horse Railroad
Company asks for authority to issue bonds to
the amount of $40, 900 to pay off its present
Indebtedness and for authority to mortgage its
road.
A large number of Portland merchants ask
the Legislature to relieve the Grand Trunk
railroad Of special tax of Il per cent. i'm
posed in 1881 by the State, upon the gross
transportation receipts of that road and az o
special tax upon the franchise, which was
specially exempted by charter
A petition was presented from citizens of
Windham, asking that the law relating to capi-
tai punishment be changed to imprisonment
for life. The petitioners claim that with the
law SO changed convictions of capital crimes
would be more rare and that the best results
OF the law are secured by certainty of convic-
tion rather than severity of penalty.
A bill was also introduced TO amend the law
relating to the execution of sentences, SO that
when person is convicted of crime punish
able with death and sentenced therefor, the
time for the execution of such sentence shall
be fixed by the court, which time shall be not
less than three nor more than six months from
the day on which sentence is passed.
The railroad committee have voted, to 2,
in favor of reporting bill authorizing the
Megsntic railroad to build bridge across
Moosehead Lake.
Mr.. Dyer OF Portland will report bill to the
House tomorrow to increase the capital stock
of the Merchants Marine Railway to $4,000.
An order of inquiry will be presented in the
Senate tomorrow by Senator Young of CAM
berlsnd to ascertain what legislation is neces-
ssry to prevent the overdrawing of appropria-
tions by any of the State departments or by the
trustees of public institutions.
The Androscoggin delegation this afternoon
voted, s to 4, against the establishment of
Superior Court in that county, which had been
referred to them for settlement
There is some discussion as to the advis-
ability Of dispensing with the Office of Major
General of Militia, which position has been
filled by Gen. Chamberlain for several years
past. 1t is an office provided by the Constitu-
tion, and seems to be regarded by some az
useless one.
COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
The committee on State lands and roads
have decided to recommend an appropriation
of $4,000 for the building of road from Shir-
ley to the Forks OF the Kennebec.
The committee on legal affairs at their inset
ing this afternoon voted to report bill, at the
request of the county commissioners, requiring
municipal and police judges and trial justices
to give bond for the turning ovsr of fines
and costs received, as well as the faithful dis
charge of their duties.
The Judiciary committee gave an extended
hearing this afternoon on the ten-hour bill
d. j. McGillicuddy, John Garner, DR.. A. M.
Garcelon, DR.. o. A. Horr, DR.. L. j. Martel,
l.. G. Cheatham, all of Lewiston, and J. P
Bars of Bangor, appeared in favor of the bill;
while Edmund f. Webb, representing the
Lockwood Mills Of Waterville, John B. Cot
ton, representing the Lewiston corporations,
e. III. Goodall, representing the Sanford Mills,
and J. L. FL. Cobb, representing woolen mill
in Lewiston, appeared in opposition. The
committee will probably report bill similar
to the one under consideration, with modif-
cation of the educational provisions of the bill.
The committee on fish and game gave hear
ing to petitioners for the repeal OF SO much of
the lobster law as relates to close-time and
which would practically leave NO restriction as
TO the taking of Holsters except as to size,
which is now limited to nine inches The
limit in other States having a similar law is
10 IL inches. George Burnham, of Burnham
& Morrill,, Mr.. Trefethsn and Mr..
johnson, fish dealers of Port
land, and several others were present.
Josiah H. Drummond of Portland appeared
in behalf of the fishermen, petitioning for re-
peal of the law and Geo. G. Yeaton of South
Berwick in behalf Of the lobster canning firms
who generally favor the present law which is
similar to the laws in force in the British PROV
inces, under which as the packers claim the
total catch of Holsters annually has greatly
increased. The discussion brought out some
very interesting statistics as to the propaga-
tion of Holsters The canned goods men con-
tend that the public should be protected against
the selling of Holsters during the months of
August a1d September as they are then con-
sidered unfit for food. The committee sus-
pended their decision but will report to-mor-