Milford chronicle., 1931-01-16
Department OF AgrIcultnre

DCpia LuCuL vi ASIlNuAlUlC
The service this department rem
ders is becoming more valuable as
the years pass. Possibly its fore
most achievement of the last two
years has been the eradication of all
tubercular cattle in Sussex County,
resultin gin official recognition of
the county as Il modified accredit-
ed area" AS progressive public
work this is noticeably outstanding
in it's worth to the future health of
our citizens and can only be made
better when the other counties are
certified as free of infected dairy
cattle. ...0 0i
In the budget requests of this
board, | felt required to digapprOye
any appropriation for Japanese bee
tie quarantine as applicable to high
way inspection of pleasure cars. The
regulations under which this work
has been carried on in recent years
convince me that as a quarantine
measure il is Intellectual, useless, a
waste of public. money and serves
only to give summer employment to
a number of men and boys while
constituting a source of annoyance
to the motoring public. -. ..~.
Banking ,,.s
As now conducted, the depart
ment of our bank commissioner is
highly satisfactory. Contrary to gen.
eral belief, it is not only self sup
porting, but Teturns to the State in
taxes, fees and licenses four times
as much as it spends. 'e-s 49,.
We have in this State excellent
banking laws which have been
amended and strengthened from
time to time. To improve them
would seem difficult, though 1 think
it might be wise to restrain a bank
desiring to amend its charter from
doing so, through the power granted
the secretary of state under tho
Corporation law; and re
quire that applications for sall
to bank charters be-
made to the Legislature. While
charter amendments OF the kind
have not lately been secured from
the present secretary of state, his
may not. concur in his
policy, and if. legislative authority
means anything in obtaining char
ters for banks, they certainly should
not be amended without the Legi5-
Iature's consent.
Banking conditionsthroughout the
State are exceptionally satisfactory
The total resources of our different
banks on June 80 last was $165,537,-
1854. .-..-....f ...9
Forestry Department
This department would seem 10 be
headed by a capable executive well
yersed in all phases of forestry, and
though it win not have arrived at its
fourth anniversary until April, It
has established itself as a useful
agency of the government and one
hat holds promise of promoting the
welfare of many Delaware land oW-
lers. --@~G -.t
The disastrous fires in Sussex last
summer show the need of an organ
zed fire control system, the nucleus
If which the Forestry Department
las undertaken insofar as its budget
would allow a. generous. sum for
his particular .work-as. important
is any the department can do-has
,een included in the governors bud !
get; its approval is hoped for.
From the State nursery 122,O0O
seedlings have. been distributed for
purposes. but q change
IL the taxation of forest areas is
necessary before conditions will be
avorable to the owner OF. forest
and, encouraging him to preserve
md improve existing forests and to
'eforest additional land. strongly
recommend that a 20-year exemp-
ion be granted artificially reforest-
ID areas from one to 500 acres in
,ize, in order that, Delaware may
lot be hindered in the proper de-
'elopment of it's idle land area.
Oyster Industry
Recognizing, after a personal
hough superficial inspection of the
State oyster beds and, the way the
i'll general is now conduct
ID. that radical changes must be
ooked for, if hopes are entertained
# perpetuating the business, l nam
ID commission year ago to
tudy the situation and report with
to the General
assembly. | trust that you are to
ear from them. From my mVesti-
alton several facts we're obvious; !
ne, that re-su1vey of the beds in
he Delaware Bay is badly needed,
hat plants dredged from our own
ivers ought to be kept in Delaware
laters and that leases of the oyster
rounds in Delaware should only be
iven to bona fide' residents of the
tate. go. -''-.-. -'' ''@
| caution that the oyster industry
18th us requires prompt action II
is to be saved. A serious attempt.
oupled with the necessary financial
upport, should be Forthcoming to
ebuild and replace the business in
he hands of citizens of our own .
tate, or the State may better aban-
on any supervision over it. Such
Ontrol as it now has is perfunctory
nd a discredit to the common
-ealth. The present unsatisfactory
is not due to incompetence
II the part of tile collector, but to
lck of proper laws to control the
and the necessary knowl- {
1ge and funds to rehabilitate it. l
AS a last suggestion, any money |
sceived from the oyster revenue {
Dllector, should be credited to the ]
eneral fund and not to the sinking '