The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-07-06
HUNTERS LICENSES
ISSUED BY CLERKS

Columbia. July 3.-Clerks Of court
and game wardens have authority to
issue hunters licenses, nothWlth-
standing the vacancy in the office OF
the chief game warden, according to a
decision rendered by Attorney Gener-
al Thomas H. Peoples, this after
noon. in response to an inquiry from
Game Warden V. S. Sloan. of Char
lesion Attorney General People 5
opinion in regard to this matter
which is of partisular Importance at
this time, in view of the fact that all
licenses expired on July l, is as fol-
lows:
Columbia, July 8. 1917.
"Mr. V. S. Sloan, Game Warden.
Charleston, S. c.
Dear Sir: l am in receipt of your
letter of the 30th Of June, in which
you state that all hunters licenses eX-
pire on July l, and asked to be advised
as to what authorities are authorized
to issue hunters licenses in view Of
the fact that the Office of chief game
warden is now vacant.
In reply thereto, beg to say that
section 3, of an act to provide for
license for hunters and penalty for
failure to procure the same, %, State,
page 233, provides as follows: That
these licenses shall be issued by the
clerks of court, game wardens or any
bonded agent of the chief game war
den. and they shall be paid the sum
of ten cents for each license sold by
them
"Under the terms Of the above quo
ted section of the cat I am OF the
opinion that clerks of court and game
wardens have authority to issue the
license referred to in the above men
toned act.
Section of the act referred to
REQUIRES all moneys collected from the
sale of licenses to be transmitted TO
the state treasurer and by him placed
to the credit of the game protection
fund, and the chief game warden is
required at the end of each year, to
return to each county the total amount
collected from the sale of licenses,
less the actual cost of enforcing the
laws in the county.
'The question, however, of the re-,
turn to the various counties at the end
of the year of their share of the
in the state treasury to the
credit of the game protection fund IS
merely academic at this time and If
a chief game warden be appointed be-
fore the end of the year, then he will
be authorized to transmit this mo-
ney to the various counties which
are entitled tor the same.
The question of determining the
amount of the license fees and the
fines required to enforce the game
laws in the various counties and that
of determining the amount to which
each county is entitled at the end OF
the wear will, if no other chief game
warden be appointed, be perplexlng
one. since there will be no executive
head charged with the enforcement OF
the game laws in the state and respon-
sible for a proper accounting of the
moneys arising from the sale of licen-
ses, fines, etc., throughout the state.
'In view of these facts, clerks OF
courts and game wardens, issuing hun
ters' licenses, and persons enforcing
the game laws in the various counties,
should make every effort to keep a
correct record of all .anneys received
and disbursed by them in the enforce
ment of the game laws in their respec-
tive counties and report the same in
itemized form to the state treasurer,
when the moneys are forwarded him,
to be placed to the credit OF the game
protection fund.
Yours very truly,
THOMAS H. PEOPLES,
GAtkorrav Con oral