Chap. 0057 An Act to regulate the taking the Fish called Salmon, Shad, and Alewives, in the Sebasticook river, in the town of Clinton.

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, it shall and may be lawful for the town of Clinton to take Salmon, Shad, and Alewives, within the limits of said town, iu the Sebasticook river, from the northerly line of the town of Winslow, to the noAh-

erly line of land owned, occupied, and now in the possession of Abram AVallis, in said town of Clinton, on such days only, as are or may he allowed by law, for catching Fish within the county of Kennebec^ and at such places within these limits, as a committee, who may be appointed by the town, as is hereafter provided, may direct.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted. That the inhabitants of the town of Clinton, at their meeting for the choice of Town Officers, in the month of March, or April, annually, be, and hereby are authorised and empowered, to choose by ballot, three or five persons, being freeholders in said town, a committee to oversee the taking said Fish as aforesaid, which committee shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their trust, and shall distribute the Fish taken by them, or under their direction, as equally as circumstances will admit, to such of the inhabitants of said town, or other persons, as may apply for the same ; and for the Fish so supplied and delivered, the committee aforesaid shall demand and receive, of the person or persons applying therefor, payment, at such rate or rates, as the inhabitants of said town, at their annual meeting in March or April, may direct, excepting of such poor persons, as shall be named in a list to be annually made out by the Selectmen of the town, and who, in the opinion of said Selectmen, are unable to pay for the same ; which list shall be given to the committee, and the person or persons borne on said lists, shall be supplied with sueh quantities of said Fish, (gratis,) as the committee shall think expedient; and the said committee shall have such allowance for their services, as the inhabitants of said town, in open town meeting, may determine; and shall annually, in the month of September, next after their appointment, exhibit to the Selectmen their accounts for settlement, and pay the balance, if any there is, into the town treasury, for the benefit of said town.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the town, at the time, and in the manner aforesaid, shall choose one person, being a freeholder in said town, to be treasurer rof said Fishery, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of his dutv, and he may be supplied by the

town with suitable buildings and apparatus for saving" 1 aud securing Fish, and with such quantities of salt, as the town shall, at their annual meeting, direct and order ; and it shall be the duty of said treasurer, to receive into his possession all such Fish as may be taken and not disposed of, in eight hours from the time the same are taken from the water. Aud it shall be the duty of the said committee to deliver to said treasurer, at such place or places as he shall direct, all such Fish' as shall not be by them sold as aforesaid. And it shall be the duty of said treasurer to save and cure said Fish which may come into his hands, in such way as he shall think most for the interest of said town, and sell and dispose of the same for the benefit of said town; and the said treasurer shall annually, on or before the first Monday of March, next after his appointment, exhibit to the Selectmen of said town, a full and fair statement of his proceedings in writing, with the amount of towns' property on hand, together with his claims for services and expenditures, and pay over to the treasurer of said town, the balance which may remain in his hands, for the benefit of said town.

Sec. 4. Be it farther enacted, That the said committee are hereby empowered, if thereunto licensed by a vote of said town, to sell at public vendue, all, or any part of said Fishery, to the highest bidder, and by their memorandum in writing, to authorize any purchaser or purchasers, to take said Fish and dispose of the same, agreeably to the provisions of this act, or in such manner as the committee shall in their license authorize and direct.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That if any person or persons, other than the committee, or such person or persons, as shall be employed or authorized by them, shall take any of said Fish in said Sebasticook, within the aforesaid limits, at any time, or by any ways or means whatsoever, each person so offending, and the parent, guardian, master, or mistress of any minor who shall so offend, shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, nor less than five dollars, for each offence ; and all the Fish so unlawfully taken, shall likewise be forfeited: and it shall be lawful for thp

committee, or any of them, or any person or persons employed by them "to take Fish from said river, to seize all Fish so unlawfully taken, and dispose of the same for the benefit of said town.

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That the committee chosen as aforesaid, or either of them, or any person or persons employed by them, shall have liberty and authority, for the purposes aforesaid, to go on the lands of any person or persons, through which the said Scbasti-cook passes, without being considered trespassers ; and any person who shall molest or hinder said committee, or either of them, or any person or persons employed or authorized by them, in the execution of their duty, shall forfeit and pay for each offence, a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, nor less than ten dollars : Provided however, The said committee are authorized and required, to pay to any owner or proprietor, such compensation as the major part of said committee shall direct, as a compensation for any damages they may sustain by said committee, or persons employed by them to take said Fish on their lands or possessions.

Sec. 7" Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of t}ie treasurer of said town, for the time being, and he is hereby authorized, upon the complaint of any of the committee aforesaid, to sue for any forfeitures incurred by the breach of any of the regulations provided in this act; and all sums and forfeitures incurred by the breaches of any of the provisions of this act, shall be for the benefit of said town, and all actions shall be prosecuted by an action on the case, in any court proper to try the same ; aud no person shall, by reason of his being one of said committee, or an inhabitant of said town, be disqualified from being a witness in any prosecution for a breach of this aet.

[Approved by the Governor, June 14, 1814.]