INLAND FISHERIES. 15 



oath faithfull}- to discbarge the duties required of him b}- law. And 

 the committees of said towns shall meet together annually, on or 

 before the tenth day of April, at such time and place as the person 

 first chosen b}" the town of Salem shall appoint, to be by him duly 

 notified. And the major part of the committees present at such 

 meeting are hereby authorized and empowered to order the times, 

 places and manner in which said fish may be taken within the limits 

 of either of said towns, and also the number any one person may be 

 allowed to take on an}' one day. And the members of the committees 

 aforesaid shall have joint and concurrent jurisdiction in either of said 

 towns ; and the doings of said committees, or either of them, or the 

 members of either of them, shall have full power to act as such, in 

 either of said towns. And in case either of said towns shall neglect 

 to choose such committee, the committee chosen by the other town 

 shall be as fully empowered as though such town had not neglected. 

 And the said committees, or either of them (on neglect as aforesaid) 

 shall have power to cause the whole natural course of the streams 

 through which said fish pass to, in both the said towns, to be kept 

 open and without obstructions, to remove any such as may be found 

 therein, to make the passage-ways of such streams wider or deeper, 

 if they find it necessary. And the said committees, or either of 

 them, or any member thereof, shall have authority to go on the land 

 of an}' person through which any such river or stream runs, or on 

 which such land may be bounded, for those purposes, without being 

 considered as trespassers. And any person who shall molest or 

 hinder said committees, or either of them, or any member thereof, 

 in the execution of the business of his or their office or offices, or 

 shall obstruct any passage-way in such river or stream, otherwise 

 than may be allowed by such committees or committee, he or she 

 shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding fifty pounds, nor less than 

 ten pounds. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted., That the said committees, or the 

 major part of them present at any meeting duly notified, being not 

 less than three in number, shall be, and they are hereby authorized 

 and empowei'ed to open any dam or sluice-head of any mill erected 

 or that may be erected on or over any such river or stream, at the 

 expense of the owner or owners of such dam or sluice, provided such 

 owner or owners shall neglect to open the same, when thereto required 

 by said committees or such major part of them as aforesaid ; and the 

 dam or sluice so opened shall continue open to such depth and width 

 as the committees or said major part may judge necessary, from the 

 tenth day of April to the tenth day of June in every year. And in 

 case any person or persons shall obstruct the passage-way allowed 

 or ordered by said committees, or such major part of them, in any 



