The frontiersman., 1952-08-07

Bills enacted into law during
 the 1852 congressional session of
 especial interest to Alaskans in-
 cluded a number sponsored by Delegate Bartlett, including legis-
 lation permitting until June 30,
 1853, the carriage of passengers on Canada vessels between HaineS
 and Skagway and other ports in
 Alaska and the carriage of freight
 and passengers between Hyder
 and Alaska ports and points in the continental United States. Other bills placed on the statute
 books included a law repeating the Alaska railroads tax, legisla- tion decreasing the amount of cash required to be kept on hand by the five national banks in the Territory, a law increasing to ST. 800 the amount of money United States Commissioners in Alaska may retain from fees collected as annual compensation, legislation preventing mining claims on school lands in Alaska, a law in- creasing to $1212 million from $5 million the amount of general obligation bonds which may be is sued by the City of Anchorage for public works, measure es- tablishing a new formula for the shipment of explosives to the Ter ritory, and law allowing leasing of property on the Anchorage and Fairbanks airports for 20-year periods instead of 10-year periods as previously provided.
 More School Lunch Funds
 Still further bills which became law during 1852 affecting the Territory authorized an increase of $21, 800 for agricultural instruc- ton purposes at the University of Alaska, bringing to a total of $71- 800 authorized for this purpose every year; provided continuation until June 30, 1853, of the veter- ans direct housing loan program; established a special formula for matching funds for civil defense purposes in Alaska; placed Alaska and the other territories and pos sessions on a par with the States in sharing fully in the school lunch program; permitted suits to be brought in the Court of Claims for damages or losses sus- tained under the gold mine clos ure order of World War II; allow ed non-Indians to use Bureau of Indian Affairs hospitals on pay ing basis in places where there are no other hospital facilities and where the hospitals are not fully utilized; and provided a for mula whereby the federal govern nent would withhold state and territorial income taxes from it's employees where the laws in the states and territories impose withholding tax from compensa- ton of employees generally. This last law will have direct applca- tion to Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Vermont.
 The Senate ratified the conven- ton setting forth procedure for international agreement between the United States, Japan and Canada on fisheries in the North Pacific.
 OkaYs Sale of Small Tracts
 Congress enacted and the President approved several of Delegate Bartlett's bills provld- ing for the sale of small tracts of land in Alaska, 25 acres to the Panama Valley Sportsmen's As sociation of Fairbanks for use as a clubhouse site and for recrea- tonal purposes, 40 acres to the Victory Bible Camp Ground of in the vicinity of In- dex Lake, and 40 acres to the Catholic Bishop of Northern Alas ka for use as a mission site near Tok Junction.
 In making ,$400,000 available so far this year to Alaska veterans for the direct housing loan pro gram, the Veteran Administration brought to a total of S3,259,20O the amount so far allocated to the Territory since the inaugura- ton of the program.