Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-12

RuCkland. Me, Dec. ). 1917.
The I<cnnebec Journal.
Augusta. Maine:
Gentlemen:
Under the head of Sea and Shore
Fishepies" you published in your issue
Of Dec. 9TH a news item that several
ROckland dealers had been fined from
TWO to fourteen dollars for halInE il
legal Holsters. 1t might be an interest
ing bit of news TO your ealers TO knew
that OH Wednesday. Dec. 5th. there was
Boston smack at Port Clyde. Maine
buying Holsters at q cents for the ie-
gal size and IL cents for the illegal size
and this has been a weekly occurrence
Tor the past three months and no al
tempt has been made b. the commits
sioner or his wardens to stop it.
Respectfully ours,
SIMMONS, WHITE co.
The item referred to Was pupushed
On Dec. : in the State House depart
ment in the Kennebec Journal, and was
obtained in the usual course of news
gathering at the Capital for the pur-
pose of keeping our readers .nfor:ned
as to the affairs Of State and the State
officials. II was given us by State
official ana from the State records.
The contents of the above letter was
made known to Commissioner If Sea
and Shore Fisheries Oscar II. Dunbar
N Monday and he was asked f he had
anything to say concerning it. He e
piled
NO. nothing i'll particular. That is
rothing compared with some of the let
tcrs I receive. AS to the Boston
smacks. have had five or six of their
captains arrested for operating with
out license and the cases arc now
pending. awaiting the decision b. the
law court in a Hancock county case,
which will be argued at the December
term of the court. in which the consti-
nationality of the law requiring them
10 pay a s. license fee AMI to give a
$500 bond
III the writer Of that letter was SO
absolutely sure that these Boston lob
ster smaCks have been here in the State
ard buying short Holsters, the least he
could have done would have been to
lave notified some warden, who had
that territory. or he should have re-
ported the fact direct to the sea and
shore fisheries commissioner and rot
ave waited to make such report until
after seizures had been made from
himself. The firm Simmons. White Co.,
Nas had two cases against il for the
same offence. paying ISL on one and the
ether, n $40 fine. now pending.
The writer is not explicit as to the
attitude of the commissioner with the
Boston dealers or Maine dealers or
anyone else connected with the lobster
business. | have no favorites. Each
and everyone is treated. so far as I am
concerned. exactly alike. When viola
tors lave been caught, | have insisted
in every case that they pay the full
amount of the fine. although | have
lcen strcnuously begged by some seal
cTs TO let mp a little in this particular.
1T would seem from the letter that
the writer was speaking for all the
Rockland Scalers. but 50 far as this Of
fee is cony erncd. he is the only one to
Tut up n direct kick regarding the
scizure of their short Holsters. They
NJ apparently have been willing to pay
their fines. il l would see that all were
Plike and that certainly is what ! have
I,cn trying to do and shall continue to
do so long as am connected with this
department.. | am a great believer in
fair play.
Il kaVC been enforcing the law Just
az well as my limited appropriation
for the employment Of the wardens
would permit. | have never been able
10 employ more than II wardens for
the whole coast of Maine. only three Of
which have been on full pay and the
others being employed but five days a