500 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



oyster-planting purposes during a term of twenty years from tlie date 

 of the i)assage of the act, within the following boundaries: 



Beginning at low-water mark directly opposite East Point in the township of 

 Maurice River, Cumberland County, and running thence a south course to the main 

 ship channel; thence by a straight line to low-water mark directly opposite to Egg 

 Island Point, in the township of Downe, in said county, and thence by low-water 

 mark the several courses and distances of the shore bordering on said cove, and 

 crossing the mouths of the several streams that empty into said cove, to the place of 

 beginning. 



The board of freeholders were further authorized to appoint one or 

 more persons as commissioners, Avho should hold office for one year or 

 until their successors were appointed, and whose duty it should be to 

 make a survey of the grounds within the limits above prescribed (all 

 natural oyster beds to be excepted), and file a plan of the same in the 

 office of the county clerk ; to lay off and mark by stakes such subdi- 

 visions of said grounds, not exceeding 10 acres each, as in their dis- 

 cretion would seem best designed to promote the planting and growth 

 of oysters, provided, however, that navigation should not be obstructed 

 and that no person should own more than 10 acres and no company 

 more than 30 acres. 



It was further provided that, after staking off the grounds in the 

 manner aforesaid, the commissioners should lease or rent the same at 

 public vendue to the highest bidder for a period of not less than one 

 year or exceeding five years; but no person was eligible to bid on or 

 lease grounds who had not been a resident of the State for six months. 



The commissioners were also authorized to collect the rents due from 

 the leases of oyster-grounds annually, and, after paying all necessary 

 costs and exj>enses of discharging their duties and receiving such 

 further compensation as the board of freeholders should agree they 

 ought to have for their personal services from the proceeds arising from 

 said rents, to pay the residue of the money, if any, to the board of 

 freeholders, to be apportioned among the several townships of the 

 county in the ratio of the county tax paid by each township, to be used 

 in the support of the public schools. The commissioners were also 

 required to make an annual report of their proceedings, submitting 

 therewith a sworn statement of receipts and expenditures. 



It was further provided that any person who should enter within 

 the boundaries of grounds so leased without having first obtained the 

 consent of the lessee in writing, or who should commit any trespass 

 upon said grounds, should be liable to the party injured in treble dam- 

 ages for the first offense, to be recovered in an action of trespass; and 

 for the second offense should be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and 

 upon conviction should be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or 

 imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, or both. It was also the duty 

 of the commissioners to enforce the law in preventing persons who were 

 not residents of the State from obtaining grounds, and in protecting 

 the rights of the lessees. 



