Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-26
nov26d1t

| up with the Department with a view
of ascertaining If the Commissioners
could not revoke all youthful hum
ters' licenses and thus prevent them
from carrying guns in the future, as
it has been clearly demonstrated it
Is not safe for them to be permitted
to do so.
Had Loaded Guns in Street
"An incident which was once re-
ported was a case where one of our
wariens while engaged in game in
spection duty on a busy business
street of a prominent city in Maine
spied three youngsters with rifles.
Upon interviewing them to see if
they were equipped with licenses
he found they were all right-but
found that all the guns were still
loaded. The boys had been out in
the country, short distance from
the city, on a hunting trip. and had
returned to town and had come down
on the busy business street, con-
gested with traffic, with those guns
fully loaded. The warden promptly
ordered them to unload the guns and
admonished them against ever ap-
pcaring on the street Of any city or
village with loaded firearm.
This was a good lesson to these
boys, for the warden reports that he
has met them many times since. hut
never has he found them outside the
forests with loaded gsin. In this
particular case il appears that the
boys had not been properly instruct
ed by their parents or guardians as
to the proper handling of firearms.
Hal an accident occurred. the par
cnts or guardians would have been
morally responsible, as the boys were
too young to realize the consequence
es which might arise from the acct
dental discharge Of their guns on a
crowded business street.
Laws on the Subject
"Now the laws governing this sub
ject are as follows:
Selling Of Air Rifles
(Chapter 302, p. L. 1917
Section /. Whoever sells or gives
away an air rife to any child under
the age of fourteen years shall be
tn n twenty dollars.
Section 2. Municipal courts and
trials justices shall have jurisdiction
ton.
nished Children
Section "a. Chapter 100. II. S. No
person under a penalty of not more
than one hundred dollars or impris-
onment not exceeding thirty days.
shall give. furnish or sell to any such
child (under sixteen years Of age)
any dangerous weapon or firearm,
EXCEPT in cases where the parents.
guardians. teachers. or instructors OF
such children may furnish them with
such weapons for hunting or target
shooting outside the thickly settled
portion of any town or city. or where
such weapons may be used in any
licensed shooting gallery.
Must File Written Consent Of Par
ents part Of Section 81
Chapter 173. p. l.. 1913. as amend
ed Chapter 121. P. L. 1923. No such
certificate PRESIDENT hunter's) shall
be granted to any person under 16
years of age unless the written con-
sent of parents or guardian is at
tached to the application for such
certificate.
Jurisdiction Of Game Dept.
From reading the above laws It
will be seen that the inland fish and
game department is given jurisdiction
only under Chap. 173. The only pro-
vision for revocation Of a license I'M
der this law Is that the commissioner
may revoke a hunters or fisherman's
certificate when a hold
er Of such certificate violates any Of
the game laws. This law further
provides, that no new certificate shall
be issued for a period Of at least six
thereafter to such person.
II boy simply figures in an acct
dental shooting while not hunting,
the department Of inland fisheries and
game has absolutely no. Jurisdiction
In the premises