8 P.D. 123 



-decided by the Commissioner. This proposed legislation was not opposed 

 in its passage through the various channels of legislation and was signed by 

 the Governor on March 9, 1929. 



Change in Reclamation Law 

 An important change in the reclamation law was introduced during this 

 session of the legislature, and the purpose of the proposed law was five-fold, 

 namely : 



1. To enable towns to appropriate money, and individuals to con- 

 tribute funds which may be pooled for the special purpose of 

 mosquito control. 



2. To allow a town to legally spend money outside the limits of its 

 boundaries. 



3. To render expert guidance and assistance in directing mosquito con- 

 trol measures to a municipality, a combination of municipalities, 

 a group of individuals or combination of both. 



4. To provide for the appointment of local commissioners by the 

 State to execute control measures with expediency and effective- 

 ness. 



5. To accomplish the control work through the co-operative efforts of 

 certain towns that have been found to be in need of control meas- 

 ures and are naturally dependent upon each other for successful 

 completion of project. 



The various hearings on this bill were well attended and their proponents 

 presented a very well-defined need for a law of this kind. This legislation 

 was signed by the Governor on May 6, 1929, and because of the urgent need 

 of authority by the State Reclamation Board, this law was considered an 

 emergency measure and became effective upon its being signed by the 

 Governor. 



Requirements of Financial Statements from Milk Dealers 

 Another law of considerable importance was signed by the Governor on 

 March 29, 1929, requiring licensed milk dealers to submit financial reports 

 annually with the Commissioner of Agriculture. These reports are public 

 records and the information contained therein is available to the milk 

 producers of Massachusetts. There have been different occasions in the 

 past when small farmers in certain of our milk producing sections have been 

 defrauded by unscrupulous dealers. It is the intent of this bill to make 

 available for the producer of milk, information relative to the financial status 

 of the milk dealer so that he may become acquainted with the ability of the 

 milk dealer to pay for the milk purchased. 



New Hearing Room 

 A new hearing room has been assigned to the Department of Agriculture 

 ■for individual hearings relative to reported violations which can now be held 

 with a maximum of convenience and privacy. Group hearings on matters 

 pertaining to legislation or important problems connected with the work 

 of the different divisions can be well conducted in the additional space 

 allotted to the Department. The convenient and practical arrangement 

 of this kind had long been a desirable need and the facilities of the new 

 quarters are very much in demand. 



Recipients of Awards for Agricultural Achievement 

 The following revised list of recipients of medals and certificates is here- 

 with submitted according to the year in which they were presented. 



This honor is given by the Department for "Meritorious Service and 

 Outstanding Accomplishments in Agriculture and Rural Life." 



Each year it has been the policy to honor in this manner five or six persons 

 within the commonwealth; the Board of Awards consisting of the Advisory 



