152 LAWS RELATING TO 



in said town ; and the said committtee, or a majority of them, are 

 hereby fully authorized and empowered to cause the natural course of 

 the streams through which said fish pass, to be kept open and without 

 obstruction, to remove such as may be found therein, and to make the 

 said passage-ways wider or deeper if they shall judge it necessary ; 

 and said committee, or either of them, paying a reasonable considera- 

 tion therefor, if demanded, shall have authority for those purposes to 

 go on the land or meadow of any person through which said streams 

 run, without being considered as trespassers ; and any person who 

 shall molest or hinder the said committee, or either of them, in the 

 execution of the business of his or their office, or shall obstruct any 

 passage-way in the river, streams, coves or ponds in said town other- 

 wise than may be allowed by said committee, he or the}^ shall forfeit 

 and pay a fine for every such offence not exceeding ten dollars nor 

 less than three dollars. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That if any person or persons 

 shall take any of the said fish in the rivers, streams, ponds or coves 

 aforesaid, at any time, in any place or in any manner other than shall 

 be allowed by the said committee as aforesaid, each person so offend- 

 ing, for each and every such oflfence shall, on conviction thereof, pay 

 a fine not exceeding four dollars nor less than one dollar, if the quan- 

 tit}'^ of fish so taken is less than one barrel, but if the quantity of 

 fish so taken be one barrel or more, such person or persons so offend- 

 ing shall forfeit and pay for each and every barrel of fish so taken the 

 sum of four dollars. 



Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That if the committee aforesaid, or 

 either of them, shall detect any person or persons in attempting to 

 take an}" of the said fish, at any time or in any place, or in any man- 

 ner otherwise than is allowed by the said committee, or shall find such 

 fish with such person or persons, such person or persons shall be 

 deemed to have taken the said fish unlawfully, and shall be subject to 

 the penalties of this act accordingly, unless such person or pei'sons 

 can make it appear on trial that they came to the said fish in some 

 other way. 



Sect. 4. Be it farther enacted, That if an}' vessel, boat or craft 

 shall be found within the limits of an}- of the rivers, streams, ponds 

 or coves, with any more- of said fish than shall be permitted by the 

 committee aforesaid, it shall be the dut}^ of said committee, and they 

 are hereb}' authorized to seize such vessel, boat or craft, and detain 

 the same, not exceeding forty-eight hours, in order that the same may 

 be attached or arrested by due process of law, and made answerable 

 for said fines and forfeitures, with cost of suit : provided, hoivever, 

 that as soon as the owner or master of said vessel, boat or craft shall 

 pay such fines aud forfeitures to the treasurer of said town, if he 



