Seward daily gateway., 1924-07-07
GAME TRANSFER IS
 MADE ON JULY FIRST
SEWARD DISTRICT DISCONTIN- UED-HARDY WILL HAVE
 CHARGE

JUNEAU, July Formal transfer was made today of the Alaskan Game Warden service and administration of the Alaska game laws and regulations heretofore vested in the office of Gov ernor of Alaska, to J. P. Walker, as Alaska agent of the Bureau of Bilogi- cal Survey. The change was direct ed by resolution passed by congress a short time before it's adjournment in June.
 Mir. Walker stated that the Bureau had not fully perfected it's plans for administration and permanent organ ization. The time since the transfer was directed has been so limited that it has been impossible, he said, to go into all of the details for a compre- hensive program which is contemplat- ed, merging the game organization with that which has heretofore been in charge of the land fur-bearing ani- mals and functioning under the Bio- logical Survey.
 As soon as he received official mo- tice that there would be a transfer of administration of the game laws, Gov. Bone notified all wardens on the force that their connection with the service would automatically cease on June 30. Several of the old wardens, MT. Wal ker said, had applied to the bureau for disappointment, and most of them will be retained.
 Owing to the fact that funds for the maintenance of the warden service, are limited, he said, it has been con- sidered advisable to diminish the num- Der in order to make it possible for the remaining officers to spend more tme in the field thus increasing the efficiency of the force. It will be the aim to avoid duplication of work by game wardens and wardens in the pro- lection service for land fur-bearers.
 There have been, under the Depart ment of Interior and directly under the Governors office, six game districts, each having warden in charge. Two were in Southeastern Alaska, three in the Third Division and three in the Fourth. For the present, at least two have been eliminated, one at Mc-Car thy, in the Third and one at Nenana for the Kantishna in the Fourth.
 Old officers who have been appoint ed for continued service by the Bureau of Biological Survey are: E. M God dard of this district; James s. Pitcher of Ketchikan, for the South end of the Division; Robert L. Steavens of Cordo- va; who will also look after the Me- Carthy district for the present; Jas. G. Moore of Fairbanks, and Alexander M. Hatley, Kuskokwim. The Seward district has been discontinued. George c. Cotter has been warden there for the past three years. His work will be taken over at least for the time being by A. H. Hardy, warden in the land fur-bearing service. The Kan tishna district has also been discon- tinued. J. M. Burrows, of Nenana, was warden there.
 H. W. Terhune, who has been do- ing special work for the Bilogical Sur vey in this district since May IS, will probably be promoted to chief assis- tant to MT. Walker and make his headquarters here. MT. Terhune was connected for several years with Washington State game forces and has had much experience in that line of work, MT. Walker said. He will make his home here.
 With the transfer of the game ad- goes, also, the transfer of issuance of Federal hunting licens- es. In the past these have been issued from the Governors office. MT. Wal ker will issue them hereafter, begin ming tomorrow Arrangements are be- ing made he said, so that persons en- route to Western Alaska for hunting trips can secure their licenses while their boats are in port.