The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-02-04
TRAP REFERENDUM
 OCCUPIES HOUSE
 DURING FORENOON
Six Bills Introduced ,lnelud- ing Aid 10 Disabled
 Fishermen
BULLETIN-The House, this afternoon, by a vote of 19 to 4. one absent, passed the fish trap referendum.

| referendum.
 Ire Fish Trap Referendum bill occupied the House of Represen- i tatives during the greater portion of it's one-hour forenoon session today The bill is now up for third reading and final passage, but had not yet come to vote when the House recessed at noon.
 The measure, H. B. 8, appeared this morning at the bottom of the House Calendar, but was moved to a top position by a ruling of Speaker Oscar Gill. Rep. Maurice Johnson moved to continue the bill in third reading for one week so he could secure information from the State of Washington on the ex- perienoes of that state in abolish ing traps. Speaker Gill ruled the motion out of order.
 Support for the measure came from the First and Third Division representatives. objection from the 1 Second and Fourth Division mem bcrs.
 The discussion was started by Rep. Robert Hopes of Fairbanks, who asserted that the voters of the northern division are not sufficiently informed on the fish trap question to te able to vote intelligently on it. Rep. Hoopes compared the fish traps with gold dredges as efficient machines and said that the elim- ination of the latter might impair the revenues of the Territory
 Claims Increased Revenues
 Rep. Egan of Valdez said that he believes that the elimination of fish traps will increase the revenues of Alaska by providing work for more people who would reside here. The people of the Second and Four tn Divisions, Rep Egan said, are sufficiently intelligent to inform themselves in the question and make decisions.
 Rep. Laws of Nome, on the other hand, said that he has never seen a fish trap and doesn't know a fish trap from a rat trap. He said The would be at complete loss II he had to explain the question or form an opinion on it.
 r, The preponderance Of voters IS in the two southern Divisions. Rep. McCutcheon of Anchorage said, and the matter, if left to the voters, would be largely decided in these two districts. He pointed out that the fishermen have been asking for the abolishment of fish traps since the First Session of the Legisla- ture.
 No Substitute Presented Rep Maurice Johnson told the members that he has heard the fish question argued at every ses- sion he has been in the Legislature but that none of the proponents of abolishment has offered a con- crete substitute that would guaran- tee the continuation of the indus try on its present footing.
 The salmon canning industry has provided the bulk of the tax rev. enues of the Territory for the past 50 years, Rep. Johnson said and traps have been used during the greater part of that time.
 Rep. Frank Johnson of Rake and Rep. Andrew Hope, of Sitka, both experienced seine fishermen, said lthat they have no fear that the industry will suffer a decline il the traps are abolished. Rep. Frank Johnson spoke of recent technological improvement in meth eds of seine fishermen and handling tte fish. Rep. Hope said that the fish could be put up more attrac- lively than they are at present and this probably will be done in the future with consequent increase in the number of processing plants. Rep. Harry Newell of Ketchikan said that he has received informa- ton from the State of Washington to the effect that while there was something of a slump during the first two or three years after the traps were abolished there, the in- dustry has been in healthy con- l, dition in recent years.
 !, Bills Introduced
 Six new bills appeared in the House this morning, numbers 3l through 36. The first three, all |, by Rep Gil, would provide for three new schoolhouses in the An , chorage district, one in East An chorage district, one at Lake Spen- ard and one in Anchorage East ano Third Addition. at cost Of SloO,- : GOO each.
 l Rep. McCutcheon introduced 8 measure to increase the licensing tax on fishermen, create specia
 fund and establish an Office tol