INLAND FISHERIES. 53 



as circumstances will admit, to such persons as apply for the same ; 

 and for the fish so supplied, the committee or committees shall 

 demand a sum not exceeding one-fifth of a dollar for each hundred of 

 fish so delivered, excepting of certain poor persons of said town of 

 Andover, who, in the opinion of the selectmen of said town, are 

 unable to pa}' for the same, and such persons shall be supplied gratis 

 with such quantities as the committee or committees shall judge expe- 

 dient. And the said committee or committees so appointed, shall, 

 on the first town-meeting after the month of May annually, exhibit 

 an account of all the fish by them disposed of, and the balance, if any 

 remains, after paying them a reasonable compensation for their 

 services, shall be paid into the treasury of said town, for the benefit 

 thereof. 



Sect. 6. Be it further enacted^ That it shall and may be lawful for 

 any of said committee or their assistants, while in the execution of 

 their office, to go upon the land adjoining to said streams without 

 being considered as trespassers ; and any person or persons that shall 

 attempt to molest or hinder said committee, or either of them, in the 

 execution of their office, shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding 

 four pounds, nor less than three pounds, to be recovered in any court 

 proper to tr}' the same, to be disposed of as is provided for in other 

 breaches of this act. 



Sect. 7. Be it further enacted^ That if any person is found 

 attempting to take an}'' of said fish at any time or place otherwise 

 than is provided in this act, or if any of said fish shall be found in the 

 possession of any person, such person or persons shall be deemed to 

 have taken them unlawfully, and shall be subject to the penalty of this 

 act, unless he or they shall make it appear upon trial that they came 

 lawfully by said fish. — [March 9, 1792. 



[Sp. Laws, vol. 2, p. 155.] 



Aw Act securing the free passage of Fish called Alewives, in the Rivers in the Town of 

 Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, and for the preservation of the same. 



Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 376. Sect. 1. Be it enacted, That the owner 

 or owners of each and every mill-dam on the River Pasequamanset 

 (so called), and other rivers situate in the town aforesaid, shall make, 

 provide and continue a sluice-way of three feet wide and eight inches 

 deep, for the said fish to pass their respective dams, as far as the 

 selectmen of the said town shall judge convenient and proper for the 

 said fish to pass in ; and the selectmen of the said town of Dartmouth 

 are hereby authorized and empowered, on the second Monda}' of April 

 annually, to open the said sluice-ways, which, when opened by them 

 shall remain open until the tenth day of May annually ; and the owner 

 or owners, proprietor or proprietors of any dam or dams on the said 



