Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-28

| against this bill. He did not repre-
| sent any hotel interests and no hotel
| keeper had come to him about the
| measure
Judge Staples suggested to the com
mittee that it would be a good idea
to have a provision in the bill so that
| the law would not be effective for
more than two years. Then if the
| workings of the law were successful
! and satisfied all parties the next Leg
| isl1turc could repeal the law.
Nathaniel J. Hanna of Bristol. who
was for MANY years q fish warden,
| favored the bill He talked fer some
| time ion the merits of the proposed
| mcasdrr and was sharply questioned
| By Numbers Of the committee.
MIR. Hanna gave a history of the
| lobster legislation i'll the State since
1895. lie told of how lobster fac
| tories for the canning Of the fish We're
| in existence ON the coast of Maine
| and how finally after repeated at
tcmpts the fishermen got laws enact
ed for their benefit.
J. had rather be Christian in
IIadcs," said Mr. Hanna, than 10 be
| a smackman on the coast buying lob
stcrs. | have 10 sympathy with the
hotel men for they charge enough
| board SO that they can pay almost
any lricc for Holsters. This proposed
| law may hurt for Il short time the
man who follows lobster fishing alt
| the year round. If you pay this law
| You will say that no Holsters will BE-
shipped out of the State in the sum
mer months, with the result that our
own people will be able to get them
al reasonable prices. 1t is true that
a great many fishermen may DC put
| out e business, but it will prevent the
Boston smacllman from coming 10 our
coast for the Holsters. Why, there are
some people in the STATE bf Maine WEn
| have never seen II lobster. let alone
| eating one, the cost has been so great.
How many fishermen want the law
| chaRged?9 asked Representative Bo-
| man Of, VinalhaVen, a member Of the
sommittee. -.=
Very feA,' said Mr. Hanna. Those
v no follow lobster fishing part Of the
year would not be affected by the
law
Aren't Holsters high in July and
August ?'
Yes, and Holsters are high all the
year round"
rs the lobster luxury or a ne.
| ecssity?"
To-day. The lobster is d luxury He
has been one for Il few years now"
A wordF tilt cnsued between Mr..
Hanna and representative Hartman of
Stonington, who was an interested
spectator
Who would care for the families Of
the fishermen, who would be put out
of business by this proposed law"
asked Representative Harmon
i do not think that the fishermen
would starve as | see by the commits
sioner's report that those in the coun-
~ Of Knox averaged to make $500
last year was the reply.
The Opposition,
Hon L. e. Reynolds of South Port
land handled the case for tie ofbosi-
ton. Introducing but two OF three wit
nAsses and after stating that he repre-
sented 1870 fishermen opposed to the
proposed. law said that 2000 were wait
Ing the action Of The committee us the
enactment of the law would mean
hardship IL them. The average earn
ipgs of fisherman is 800 yearly. the
occupation is fraught with danger, and
there are already three months close
time, January FEBRUARY and March.
and II nearly three months are added
II VII interfere seriously with the
fishermen as the industry means as
much to the coast towns as the pota-
toes to Aroostook villages.
Former sheriff of Cumberland coun-
~ NJ. w. Trefethen, spoke briefly,
though earnestly in behalf of the fish,
ermen.
At this point Mr.. Hanna engaged in
Il dispute with Mr. Trefethen about
various phases Of the subject which
the committee stopped
S. =. Jameson of Friendship testi-
He'd to the opposition in his section,
and ne was followed by Rep. Brennan
Of ST. George. who appeared in behalf
of the toWnspeoPle.
New General Act.
Hon. Jaspeh Wyman If Milbridge.
Whu was chairman OF the SEA and shore
fisheries committee in past Lesisla
lures, pres nted an important measure
10 the committee which he said he was
To pre- sent to the Legislature as 4 gen
eral law covering the vexed lobster
business. It creates a commission OF
three comprising the commissioner Of
sea ard shore fisheries a member OF
the Governors Council, and the chair
man of the inland fisheries and game
to serve without pay save expenses,
who viii have power TO summon Wit
nasses etc, to determine whether lob
sters are increasing or not, and shall
have the power to handle the close
time and regulate in measure, the
size of lobster measurements.
Senator Cole at the close of this hear
ing asked all in the hall interested in
the lobster business directly to eX-
press themselves on the Skillngs
measurement act to stand if they fat
fored it and Mr. Skillings was the only
enc to rise.
= The same form was gone through
with on the close time law and \. j.
Hanna alone arose. In opposition to
both measures about 20 arose.