Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-05
S1ENOGRAPHIC REPORT
CONTINUED from PAGE Two)

(Contlnueo from rage IWoJ
Section 81, relating to killing of wild
birds.
This bill was passed to be engross-
ed by the Senate: in the House it was
indefinitely postponed.
Mr. THOMPSON of Knox: I would
like to inquire what that relates to
Mr.. President. Are sea gulls includ-
ed in that bill?
The PRESIDENT: Yes. The pend
ing question is on concurrence of the
House.
Mr.. THOMPSON: MIR. President.
I move that we non-concur. If it is
in order to make any remarks desire
to do so.
The PRESIDENT: The senator
from Knox moves that the Senate
non concur with the House, insist
upon our former action, and ask for
a committee of conference
Mr.. THOMPSON: Mr.. President.
is it in order for me to say anything
at this stage? The bill in this form
allows the killing of gulls on the
coast when they are actually engaged
in damaging property.
1t is well known among the people
living on the coast that gulIs are very
destructive to certain industries. The
BURBERRY land owners-I know of one
instance right in the county where
BURBERRY crop was entirely de-
stroyed. The neighbors were called
in and drove them off, but they sue
cecded in destroying the whole crop.
This was poor family and they lest
their blueberries, some two hundred
fifty or three hundred dollars worth.
More than that, the gulls under the
protection of the Government have
become so tame that they will alight
on boat when a man is fishing and
destroy his bait. 1t seems little hard
for fishermen to have their bait de-
stroyed before they have a chance
to throw it overheard.
This is the only thing that is aimed
at. 1t understand under this federal
bill gulls have been classified as birds
of passage 1t is well known to the
people living on the sea coast tina.
gulls are not birds Of passage They
are with US the year around and con-
tinue their destruction the year
around. 1t is as ridiculous to call a
gull a bird of passage as it is to call
a COW a bird of passage. We know
better.
The only thing this bill seeks to ac-
complsh is to give the BURBERRY
owner the right to save his crop and
the fisherman to save hit bait. If
they can kill few gulls apd make
them little wilder we do not object
The fishermen have no objection to
the presence of the gulls, provided
they keep their distance.
Mr.. SPRAGUE of Piscataquis: Mr..
President, let me say a word. This
came before the committee on in
land fisheries and game, and the
hearing was very interesting indeed,
and the testimony was somewhat
new to me. l did not understand the
conditions down there. So far as the
sea gulls are concerned in the interi-
or part of the State we regard them
as an attraction to the summer Wis
dtors, and we do not want law any
different from the present law. We
had no desire to have the sea gullS
killed, but down on the coast it is al
together a different situation, and
there they are very destructive to
property OF certain KINDS, as senator
Thompson says, the BURBERRY patch
es, the fishermen's bait, etc, and so
this bill was finally reported favora
bly, by us, after this had been insert
ed: provided further that sea
gullS may be killed while in the act
of destroying property" So this
law, as l understand remains exactly
as it has been, they are protected in
the interior, and all over the State,
everywhere, unless those people down
on the coast, where they are injuring
property of certain kinds to con-
siderable extent, see them and can
shoot them while destroying their
property.
l think that is all there is to it. I
agree with Senator Thompson exact
ly that we should not concur with the
House in the indefinite postponement
of this bill.
The motion was agreed to and the
Chair appointed on such committee of
conference on the part of the Senate,
Messrs. Thompson, Sprague and Nor
rison.
Sent down for concurrence.
On, r,nt;np h,r Mr. >of o,, tho r1,1oc