The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-10

the law, in making the distinction be-
tween cultivated and uncultivated
grounds. The committee believes that
! In the grounds returned as uncultivated,
! there is much good ground that is or can
| be made productive but is held and not
| used because Of the small valuation put
upon 1T, say one to five dollars per acre.
as uncultivated. 1t it is uncultivated
| because it is uncultivated and unpro-
| ductive, of course the value is small. If
however, it can be cultivated and has a
value for cultivation, it ought to have
and has a higher valuation, and should
be so assessed, whether returned as Gull
tivated or not. In short If it is oyster
| ground and will produce oysters, it has
value for taxable purposes and should
be so returned and assessed If it is not
oyster ground and will not produce oys-
tiers, 1T should be so valued and so re-
turned. We therefore recommend that
the law be amended in such way that
the words cultivated and uncultivated
be stricken from the statute and the
tax lists be returned to the commission
with the statement Of the owners valua-
ton, and that the commissioners be CIV
en- the power and authority now held by
assessors, if they do not already pos
sess it, to put a valuation upon it.
The natural beds, which are open to
any citizen of Connecticut duly licen-
sed by the commission, are the source
of constant outlay to the state, which
expense is partly met by the license
money from boatmen authorized to work
thereon.
AT meeting of the Oyster-growers
Protective Association, composed of
owners of boats authorized to take and
gather oysters from the national BEDS
held previous to the meeting of the gen.
eral assembly, 1897, it was voted, to
ask the legislature to make the license
fee ten dollars for each boat, regardless
of size. Such fee would provide suf-
ficient funds to do all the work that
may be necessary on the natural beds
in the way Of buoys landmarks, and
inspection. From information we have
received, we believe it to be for the in
terest of the state that this be done.
LABOR BUREAU.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics or
Inquiries in different sections of the
state among all classes of the commu-
nifty, show that the reports of the Unit
ed States Labor Bureau are regarded
as valuable; but that unfortunately,
the Connecticut Bureau has not the
confidence of the general public, and
we find that there is a general opinion
throughout the state that it is a bur-
eau that can very well be dispensed
with.
Connecticut is q small state and if at
any time there is reason for any in
quiry on special subjects relating sole
ly to this state it can readily be made
by special commission under the di-
rection of the genei al assembly.
CONCLUSION.
In conducting our examination, we
have used the c0mptroller's arrange
ment of accounts as basis; because
it has the sanction Of custom, and is
familiar to the people of the state, 1t
will be noticed that there are number
Of accounts concerning which nothing
is said: in these cases the committee
finds nothing to criticise. In some of .
them while the commissions are au-
thorized and appointed by the state, the ,
expenses are paid by a tax upon the /
and organizations with
which they have to do; in others, there
is but a small expenditure and in
few, the accounts are Of such nature
that they are temporary and will soon
be closed
All the employees in the different de-
partments of the state government are
well paid, and the present maximum
amount received by such employees
should not be increased.
Accompanying this report as a part
Of it and in accordance with instruc-
tions expressed in the resolution under
which the committee has performed its
abors, are the necessary bills and re-
solutions for carrying into effect the
which the committee
have deemed it wise and proper to
make.
Respectfully submitted
T. ATTWATER BARNES,
Chairman,
HUBERT WILLIAMS,
PHILO S. BENNETT,