!84 PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



and hold office under the merit system. The Division of 

 Game and Fish would thus be headed by a professional con- 

 servationist, removable only for cause. 



In New York state, where the system is in operation, the 

 state constitution provides for a Department of Conserva- 

 tion among the twenty departments in the administrative 

 system. 17 The statutes further provide that it shall be 

 headed by a Conservation Commissioner appointed by the 

 Governor by and with the advice of the Senate, 18 and who 

 may be removed by the Governor whenever in his opinion 

 the public interest so requires. 19 



There are five divisions making up the department: (i) 

 Lands and Forests, (2) Fish and Game, (3) Water Power 

 and Control, (4) Saratoga Springs Reservation, and (5) 

 Parks. The head of each of these divisions is appointed by 

 the Conservation Commissioner under competitive civil ser- 

 vice regulations and may be removed only after hearing. 20 



Minnesota has a somewhat similar organization in its 

 Conservation Department but made the mistake of vesting 

 in the Governor the power to appoint the head of the Fish 

 and Game Division as well as his superior, the Conservation 

 Commissioner. 21 The result has been a tendency on the 

 part of the Fish and Game Director to look upon the Gov- 

 ernor, rather than the Conservation Commissioner, as his 

 real chief. 



A less satisfactory variation of this system is used in 

 Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, and North Carolina 

 under which the conservation department, instead of being 

 headed by a single commissioner responsible to the governor, 



17 New York Constitution, art. v, sec. 2. 



^New York Consolidated Laws (Cahills), chap. 65, sec. 2 (1930). 



19 Ibid., chap. 56a, sec. n. 



30 Ibid., chap. 10, sec. 4. 



21 Minnesota Statutes (Mason's), 1927, sees. 53-20. 



