The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-03-10
OYSTER BILLS PASSED.
Number Of Valuable Laws Enacted by the
legislature.

The past session has probably been
the most remarkable for a quarter Of a
century in the matter Of oyster legisla.
ti0n. The yexations and distractions
of the Tidewater people have not been
in evidence. and the current Of oyster
enactment has run 30 smoothly In the
halls Of legislation. it is doubtful If
even the oystermen themselves have
kept in touch with it. No personal
bills were introduced, the Committees
on Fish and Game in the Senate an d
Chesapeake and its Tributaries in the
House refusing to report any bills that
had not received the sanction Of the
Board Of Fisheries The following is
q brief synopsis Of the bills that passed
and have now became laws:
/. A bill to provide for a recodifca.
tion Of all legislation as to oysters,
CLANS, crabs, fish. etc, which oodifica-
tion will be presented in the form Of
two or more condensed bills to the next
Assembly, to be enacted in place Of the
disjointed and confused legislation on
these subjects now scattered through
the Code and subsequent acts The
board has authority 10 appoint three
persons to perfect this codification, who
are to be compensated out Of the Board
Of Fisheries fund
2. The Board Of Fisheries have been
empowered to sell, exchange, buy. or
reinyest any Of the property Of the State
now comprised in the oyster feet at
their discretion.
MAY EMPLOY SURVEYORS.
3 They are also authorized TO employ
surveyors to verify. at their option, the
leases Of planters who may be holding
bottoms in excess Of their lawful as.
siguments, and to resurvey and define
any lines Of the Baylor survey in dis.
pute. A sum not TO exceed twenty five
hundred (s2. 500 dollars annually has
been appropriated out of the oyster fund
to meet the necessary expenses Of this
act.
An important amendment to the
oyster laws provides that, where lands
have been inadvertently assigned to
planters within the Baylor survey, a
sufficient time shall be given the dis.
possessed lessee to remove his planted
oysters and shells. Any depreciation on
said grounds before the expiration Of
said sufficient time will be punishable
as q larceny.
). Hereafter tongers taking out the
ordinary assessment license. tax on
weekly sales Of oysters will be required
to report to the inspector in person.
6 The outlaw has been amended to
provide for a measurement hereafter Of
three inches from hinge TO mouth. In.
stead Of two and q half inches as be.
fore, the former exemptions as to James
river and the ocean side Of Accomac
and Northampton counties, and to Deep
Greek in Warwick, remaining as before.
But a further amendment provides that
any person buying, or having in his
possession, oysters Of the prohibited
size, or shells taken from the natural
rocks, shall be deemed guilty Of violat-
ing the law, and that oysters and shells
once passed from the culIing. board to
the inside Of the boat, shall be deemed
to have been taken unlswfully.
Z. The bond of oyster inspectors has
been reduced from s.. 900 to 81, 900.
WHO MAY DREDGE.
s Hereafter all lessees Of oyster plant
ing ground who have paid their rent in
advance, and who will properly define