INLAND FISHERIES. 67 



other dams across said River Neponset shall make sluice-wa3s of the 

 ■width of eight feet, and in depth within eighteen inches of the mud- 

 sill ; and all dams on the brook from JNIassapog Pond to Neponset 

 River shall have a sluice-way six feet wide and as low as the natural 

 stream ; and all dams on the brook from Puncapog Pond to said 

 Neponset River shall have a sluice-way three feet wide and as low as 

 the natural stream. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted. That the court of general sessions 

 of the peace for the count}' of Norfolk shall, at their spring sessions, 

 annually appoint a committee of three disinterested freeholders, and 

 not inhabitants of Stoughton, Sharon, Canton, Dorchester or Milton, 

 who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duty, and who 

 shall determine the time when the sluice-ways shall be opened and 

 also when they ma}' be shut ; and may also, if they think it expedient 

 and not injurious to the passing of said tish, direct one-half of any 

 sluice-way or sluice-ways to be shut ; and may open any such sluice- 

 way on said rivers and streams, at the expense of the owner, pro- 

 vided the owner neglects to do it for the space of twenty-four hours 

 after being notified by said committee ; and if upon trial the present 

 depth of said sluice-ways shall prove insufficient, may, after hearing 

 the parties, order the same to be made deeper: provided^ the depth 

 of said sluices shall never be lower than twelve inches above the mud- 

 sill. And the said committee, or any two of them, may in the execu- 

 tion of their office, when necessary, enter on the land or lands adjoin- 

 ing said streams, without being considered as trespassers ; and the 

 reasonable expense of said committee shall be paid, one half by the 

 owners of the dams on the rivers and streams aforesaid, and the other 

 half by the towns of Sharon, Stoughton and Canton. 



Sect. 3. Be it further enacted^ That if any owner or owners, 

 occupant or occupants of any dam, shall unreasonably refuse to open 

 his or their sluice-way, when required by the committee, for the space 

 of twenty-four hours, or shall refuse for the space of six days after 

 being required by said committee to make their sluice-way deeper, as 

 provided for by this act, he or they so otfending shall for each offence 

 forfeit and pa}' one hundred dollars. 



Sect. 4. Be it farther enacted^ That in case any owner or owners, 

 occupant or occupants of any dam shall shut the same, or cause or 

 suffer any obstruction during the time assigned by such committee 

 for the passing of the fish, or if any person shall, during said term, 

 cause any obstructions in any part of said streams, or use any seine 

 or drag-net in taking said fish, or shall take any of said fish except 

 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in each week, and betwixt 

 sunrising and sunsetting on each of said days, or shall so divert the 

 water as to prevent the return of young fish, he or they so offending 



