The Press., 1909-02-17
uMTON.

 visiting friends in Monson and Spring. field.
 MT. and Mrs. Edward Nj. Oorbin and Miss Harlie Corbin of Putnam visited at H. F. Corbin's last week. For more than a year E. M. Corbin has had charge of the erection of the new post office in Meriden, which was recently completed. The contract for this beautiful and expensive structure was in the hands of the Wheaton Building and Lumber company, of which MT. Oorbin is secretary and treasurer.
 Monday evening che Ladies' Bene- volent association will meet at the home of Mrs. Willard Richards for a Washington social. It has been sug- gested that those who find it con- venient dress in costume of Eye olden time. Perhaps some who are not fortunate enough to possess full cos tune of this description will like to don some ancient article of dress (NothinR arbitrary about dress, however-everybody welcome to dress as they please. If there are those who possess some interesting article connected with Union's early history, or some family heirloom, it will add to the pleasure of the evening if they will take it to the social. It will be we'll to have suitable labels attached to such articles, and Mrs. Richards will furnish room where the relics can be displayed. For the refresh. ments, ladies are invited to contribute cake, and gentlemen to contribute @ fruit. Some people may think that cherries are the only appropriate fruit for Washington social. but for some time a rumor has been floating about that the cherry tree has met with an ax-ident, or something of the sort, SO dates. figs, apples or any other con- venient fruit will be acceptable. Those attending are requested to take pencils, and also be prepared for the character game, using generals aud other important personaRes of Wash. ington's time. If the evening of Feb. 22 should be stormy, the social will be postponed to the following even. ing.
 In response to the solicitations of many of the summer residents at Mashapaug, and also of the towns people, Representative Buckley has introduced 8 bill in the legislature which precludes fishing in the lake from Dec. 1st to April 1st. It has been noticed that this is the period in which many of the fish spawn, and it is also the time when the lake is visited by large number of transie nt sportsnen from adjoining towns, who, by setting an innumerable mum Der Of "tip-ups," so called, have, and do, to an unreasonable degree, as com pared with the summer sportsmen with a single line It is from the summer sportsmen that the community
 
 and therefore whose interests should be protected. Section ? of the act provides that the selectmen shall suspend and maintain at the fuma and other outlets suitable nets or weirs to prevent the fish passing from the lake into foreign waters when the lake is drawn by the Hamilton Woolen company of Southbridge. A similar statute, more general in it's application and permissive in it's terms, is now in vogue, saying "that the selectmen may suspend nets," etc But in this particular instance the word may is amended to shall, mak- ing it mandatory in it's nature upon the town in this particular instance This bill has been referred to the committee on fish and game, which will be assigned 8 hearing later, to be announced.
 Mashapaug.
 Miss Belle Moore was called to Gardner. Mass last week to resume her duties.
 Turner Bros. are planning to cut the Walker lot at Mashapang, in the near future.
 The bill before the legislature, regarding the prohibiting of fishing through the ice on Lake Mashapaug, meets with opposition from parties who are catching such fish as the bill is intended to protect. Last fall several of our townsmen were arrested for illegal hunting and trapping. Now comes 8 bill to protect the delights of the fisherman of years past in Lake Mashapaug, and because it inte1feres with the occasional pleasure of a few men who cannot see far enough ahead to help readjust and renew the good fishing in Mashapaug, they are great ly opposed to the bill. With the pro. tecting of the fishing, bill has also been presented which asks for the screening of the outlet, this to help along the same lines as the bill for protecting. A suggestion has been made that the bill for protecting the fishing should have applied to non. residents, during the winter. This would not have bothered in any way the pleasures of the few that oppose @ the bill at present AS this seen 8 rather of a selfish suggestion, it is not entertained as good judgment or justice to all. Union derives a oer- tain revenue from its "summer resi-. dents" in many ways, and it's tax lists have been increased of late years by reason of these summer residents If an effort is to be made to help u e fishing in Mashapaug, each and every man should be in harmony with that effort. and not oppose such measures on simple selfish motives. Union has her interests at heart, and the lake is