Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-18

realize that their industry is bene-
fitted and protected, not only for the
present but for the future. Mr..
Speaker and members, this condition
Is as it should be. and it seems to
me that if We have an industry that
Is prospecting under the existing law.
it would be very unwise for US to
vote to change it. l DO not know
who the proponents of this bill are,
but certainly there was no one who
appeared at the hearing before the
committee on Sea and Shore Fish
cries for them. On the other hand,
as has been said, there were a great
many representatives Of the fisher
men, from PASSPORT to Kittery, who
went to the expense and trouble of
coming here and testifying against
the proposed change. We also had
a large number Of petitions against
it, as you well know, but no petit
lions nor any one appearing in its
favor.
The lobster industry directly affects
some twenty-three thousand people
in the State of Maine, and it owes it's
present prosperity to the present law
as to the measurement of Holsters, the
protection of the female lobster and
the three-men commission. / hope
we will not vote to change this law.
Also the three-men commission acts
as a board of arbitration in regard
to settling disputes over fish weirs
and some Of the lobster laws; and If
this one man commission should go
into effect, all these laws would be
annulled.
Members Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, we have on our Statute
books many good. bad and Indifferent
laws. + think that this law in regard
to the three-men commission Is ex-
cellent, and I hope that the members
will vote to sustain the majority re-
port. Ought not to pass.
The SPEAKER: The question is on
the motion of the gentleman from
Sedgwick, Mr.. Sargent. The Chair
recognizes the gentleman from South
Portland, Mr.. Lamson.
Mr.. LAMSON: Mr.. Speaker, / do
not question Boston's interest in this
Sedgwick, Mr.. Sargent, speaks about
their conditions up there, they are
very well pleased with this thing ana
would like it to remain as it is.
just want to say a word concern
ing those petitions. l did not say
very much about them, and / did not
want to say very much about the
people not being here for knew the
reason why they were not here.
know it is not always safe for man
to put up an arguments lobster
fisherman to put up an argument
to a warden. / am going to tell you
they are talking about the easy way
they get away with this thing. Let
me read you a few figures; never
mind the salaries. For boat Edith"
for gas, S15159; for rent, $913.50;
Boat "Messmate," $4,000 for gas:
500, for rent; s12.72 for repairs. So 1t
goes, running from $3.50 up as high as
$685., with total Of $10,691.66 Tor
boats on this coast. tell you, mem
bers, do as you will, but this thing
is wrong. We want one-man COM
mission and that is all we need. Let
him be appointed by the Governor
and Council and you and 1 Will get
along all right and the fishermen on
the coast of Maine will get along
all right.
Mr.. THOMPSON of Rockland: Mr..
Sneaker. the statement made by the
gentleman from South Portland (Mr.
Lamson) as to the efficiency Of the
present Director Of Sea and Shore
Fisheries is justly deserved. 1t has
been my fortune to appear for the
State in prosecuting the law, as well
as sometimes for the alleged violator
of the law; so that I have perhaps
in that way been able to realize better
than I otherwise would the position
of both sides. / recall two instances
at least where parties have been In
the hands of the Commission where
perhaps they somewhat objected to
the payment of fines imposed upon
them. and felt that the Director had
been unfair in his administration OF
the law.
This present form Of three-men
commission was authorized by the
Legislature in 1917 and commenced
to function the next season. Since
that time, while there was difficulty
under the one-man commission 1t Is
all cooperation now; so that the
present enforcement of the law has
led to respect for it on the part of
those who have been benefited by 1t
the most. The number of the lobster
catches and those dependent upon
them have been doubled. l can see
no reason for changing the present
law. In fact. if l understand the
argument OF the gentleman from
South Portland (Mr. Lamson) it is
not that the law Is not enforced. but
the expense of the commission is the
only thing he urges in behalf of its
repeal. You have heard ell figures CIV
en- as to the cost of the Commission.
They are merely nominal and in
great measure the efficient work of
the present director depends largely
on the good counsel Of those with
whom he is associated On this COM
mission. They live in different parts
of the State and he relies upon them
at all times for their guidance. Ger
tainly they are worth something to
the State and have been worth some
thing. l know of no law that is
better enforced than the present Sea
and Shore Fisheries law and attrib-
ute it largely to the efficiency and
honest purposefulness of the Dl-
rector of Sea and Shore Fisheries,
with such good assistance and counsel
as If offered to him from time to-
time by those associated with him In
the admnistrat ton Of this law.
hope that the law will remain as
it is. 1t will be most beneficial to
those in my jurisdiction and l know
of no one in my vicinity who asks
for it's repeal. I think it has given
good satisfaction to all those whose
interests are most affected by it, and
| hope the House will vote to leave 1t
as it is.
Mr.. SARGENT of Sedgwick: Mr..
Speaker, in the literature which had
come out recently in behalf Of pub
licity for Maine, we have been i'm
pressed with the idea that Maine has
an excessively long seacoast. Now
it would seem to me that the figures
given by the gentleman from South
Portland( Mr.. Lamson) are at least a
reasonable expenditure for patrolling
a seacoast such as we have in this
State. We should not expect the law