2 FISH AND GAME. 



or before November 15 a budget containing its estimates for 

 operating expenses and new construction work for the next 

 fiscal year. It is on the basis of this budget that the annual 

 appropriations are made. These appropriations are divided into 

 two classes, the first covering the maintenance and operation, the 

 second, new construction work. 



The fiscal year begins December 1 and ends November 30. 

 The annual appropriation for both classes, having to be deter- 

 mined by the Legislature, may not be known until well along 

 into the fiscal year. For instance, the maintenance appro- 

 priation this year became available March 1, 1916, that for 

 new construction work, June 1, 1916, and a small additional 

 appropriation for each class, June 2, 1916. The foregoing is 

 not stated as a criticism of legislative action, but simply to 

 show the absolute inability to start the year's work on a fully 

 arranged financial schedule. Pending the determination of the 

 annual appropriation we are authorized to expend in main- 

 tenance not more for each division than was expended during 

 the preceding year. No new construction work can be started 

 until an appropriation covering it has been made. 



For the balance of the year we made such changes in the 

 business as would best carry the work through the year, and 

 devoted our attention to a new system to be put into opera- 

 tion at the beginning of the next fiscal year, that is to say, 

 Dec. 1, 1916. 



Central Office. 



The next step was to make the central office the clearing 

 house for all the work of the department. In order to do this 

 such a system of accounting and reports was required as would 

 keep the central office closely in touch at all times with the 

 various activities. 



The central offices have been moved to new quarters on the 

 third floor of the new east wing. In the transfer a new private 

 office for the commissioners was made possible, together with a 

 more businesslike reception room. A new style of counter was 

 installed in this room, provided with a large number of com- 

 partments to hold blank applications for the stock distributed, 

 copies of reports and pamphlets for distribution. The office 

 force is now housed separately in a large room, thus avoiding 



