Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-08
TORRENS LAND BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
Lower Branch Also Passes Bill
Repeating Act Pensioning Su-
preme Court Judges.
CONFER ON OYSTER LAWS
Pollard Holds Bills Unconstitu-
tional, and They Are Recast
to Meet Objections.

H'. vote Of - TO 10. the House ot
Delegates YESTERDAY passed the Tor
isrs land registration hill and tho
measure goes now TO the Senate for
concurrence. Til" bill was passed
without debate.
Nor" than half the counties and
cities. including Richmond. arc en-
hrac"d in the list Of communities which
may adop, the Torrens system without
special election. At the request OF
their representatives. these counties
and cities were enumerated in the bill.
communities not specifically named
may adopt the Torrens system b. q
ma iority vote at any election.
For three successive Legislative ses-
siors this bill has played a prominent
role on the calendar Received at first
with Indifference. it's advocates grew
in number until it is believed now that
the bill lie made law at the present
session. |, has already been reported
out by the Senate Committee for Courts
of Justice. aud is now on the calendar
IN The upper house.
NEPEALS SUPREME COURT
PENSIONS FOR JUDGES
The House passed by "a vote Of OF TO
the Buck Hundley bill repeating the
act OF March 1. 1911. which provides
for the pcnsioninE of Supreme Court
Judges. II carries amendment
which provides that the repeal shall
not affect the rights OF judges who
may resign IN 1916 and 1917, thus pro
tcctinc Judge Keith, who will retire on
February !. 1917. Delegate Moss, of
Lyrchhurv. moved that the bill be re-
committed. but the motion was re-
jcCtcd
Following the receipt by Speaker
Houston of an opinion by Attorney
General Pollard. in which he held that
the Wright bills providing for the re-
peal OF the seed oyster and James
River Gull line laws in their present
form We're unconstitutional, both bills
were recominittcd 10 tho Committee on
the Chesapeake and Its Tributaries
In the afternoon the committee drafted
new hills. modified to meet Mr.. Pol
lard's objections. These will be placed
on the calendar to-day.
The bills which were found to be
defective provided for the repeal of
the present law fixing the Gull line in
James River ana for a shifting OF the
line TO Newport News: and for the re-
peal OF the law prohibiting the ship
mcnt OF seed oysters out OF the Stat.
Both OF these changes were demanded
hy the oyster tUrgcrs. who claimed that
the TWO laws have produced in the
state this year such Glut in the seed
oyster market that the oystermen are
unable to max" q living.
ATTEMPTED TO VEST LEGISLATIVE
POWERS IN COMMISSION
While providing for the repeal Of the
two laws. the bills undertook at the
same time to vest the Commission or
Fisheries with The power 10 put them
again in force when. In its opinion. the
states oyster industry was threatened
by the lifting OF the embargo
The Attorney General. in his opinion
held that il was unconstitutional to
delegate to the Commission OF Fish
cries Legislative authority. and that
because the bills did this. they were
defective. He suggested. however.
that the General Assembly would have
the right TO give 10 the Commission OF
Fisheries the power TO grant permits
for the taking OF seed oysters from
the area now closed by the Gull law,
upon the ascertainment of certain
definite facts In the same way, he
suggested, the commission could no
empowered 10 grant permits for tho
State.
While the distinction drawn by the
Attorney -Gcncrat was looked upon by
friends OF the Wright bills as finely
drawn. il WAS conceded even by the
oystermen. who would have preferred
these measures. that It would he un-
which might later prove TO he worth
less. The new bills which were APP
proved Yesterday by the committee to
take the place OF thos. held defective
meet the objections raised by Mr..
Pollard.
Representatives of the tonEerS yes
tcrday were not overpleascd with the
Developments. since the new bills Will
leave the present laws in effect. The
Commission of Fisheries viii practi-
caNy command the situation. This
body will he vested with the authority.
in effect TO suspend temporarily the
preacn. culi line and seed oyster laws.
when, upon the asccrtninmcnt OF
definite facts. the suspension comports
with the safety Of the industry.
AS originally drawn, the bills re-
pcalcd the laws and gave the commits
sion The right 10 restore them when
necessary. Under tbs substitute bills,
the present laws stand unless set aside
temporarily through the medium OF
special permits to he granted by tho
commission. II the commission and
the oystcrmcn should fail to agree on
the question OF fact. the former hold
ing that conditions do not Justify tho
suspension OF the law and the latter
holding that they do. the tongers would
have u remedy only in the courts
While the oyStcrmcn wcre inclined
AT first TO oppose the substitute meas
ures. they withdrew their opposition
when il became clear that only in this
way could the present situation be re-
iicved. The Commission OF Fisheries. in
Its special report to the Governor. in
dicatcd its belief that conditions this
year warrant a temporary suspension
oc the oyster seed law.
MORALS COMMITTEE
DISCUSSES TU0H1BrTION BILL.
In 4 session lasting for more Than
three hours. the Senate Committee on
Moral and Social Welfare last night
adopted u number OF tentative amond-
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