STATE OF NEW' : YbRK 



No. 



IN SENATE 



JANUARY 10, 1912. 



FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONSERVATION 

 COMMISSION. 



To the Legislature: 



Pursuant to statutory direction, that the Conservation Commis- 

 sion " shall annually report to the Legislature on or before January 

 15th specifying the receipts, expenditures and work of the depart- 

 ment for the preceding iiscal year/' we have the honor to submit 

 the following: 



The Conservation Commission was created by chapter 647 of 

 the Laws of 1911, known as the Conservation Law. To the enact- 

 ment of this legislation, there was virtually no opposition; such 

 members of the Legislature as dissented, having done so not on 

 grounds of policy, but because of what they regarded as defects 

 and imperfections in the proposed statute. The time was ripe, 

 the press and the public were ready. When Governor Dix affixed 

 his signature to the proposed legislation, " as a first and long step 

 toward true conservation," he but voiced the general hope and 

 expectation. " To the commission,' 7 he said, " is delegated lineis of 

 work either new as state undertakings or to be performed under 

 new conditions and broadened powers; to drain swamp lands at 

 the expense of property benefited, to lease surplus canal waters 

 on a proper revenue basis so that that power may be utilized under 



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