348 



writing, and it should be formal, and his initial should be put to it, 

 and that the book of minutes should be kept and read, but it was not 

 done; I don't think we ever had the — 



Q. (Interrupting.) Every meeting, in your opinion, has been illegal ? 



A. I don't know; like enough; I can't help it. 



Q. While you were chairman, there could be no meeting held with- 

 out it emanating from the chair ? 



A. I told them whenever they wanted a meeting I would come; 

 that meeting was legal enough as to that; I don't think I ever said 

 that I couldn't come. 



By Chairman Ryan: 



Q. Since the passage of the Hadley bill, passed, as you believe, for 

 the purpose of collecting the property of the State in one compact 

 body, you have made no effort to carry out the policy of the State? 



A. No, sir; Mr. Basselin said he didn't believe it was a good thing 

 to do, and that resolution was offered, and I didn't oppose it. 



Q. Mr. Basselin said it was not a good thing? 



A. That he didn't believe it; I don't think that any of us liked the law; 

 Mr. Hadley got it up and got it through the Legislature before we saw 

 it; then they come up to see us and we looked at it, and we didn't like 

 the bill; it had to go to the Senate then, and we decided that unless 

 there was a certain amendment added to the bill we would oppose it in 

 the Senate; the amendment was agreed upon; Mr. Hadley agreed to it, 

 and the bill then went into the Senate and we approved it with that 

 amendment; it was passed with that amendment, but, strange to say, 

 after having passed the Senate, and on its way back to the Assembly for 

 concurrence, the amendment slipped out and was never found; so 

 that we never have felt very kindly disposed towards the bill, although 

 I-think it was our duty to examine every piece of property. 



Q. Because the act of the Legislature did not appeal to your judg- 

 ment and that of the commission as a whole and you didn't like it, 

 you didn't propose to obey it ? 



A. I would liked to have tried to do it; I don't know what they 

 thought. 



Q, Was that the policy of the board ? 



A. The policy of the board was that we would not do aitything in 

 the way of those exchanges. 



Q. Because the act didn't suit the board ? 



A. Yes, sir; that seemed to be the reason. 



Q. Had the law been passed with the amendment you suggested 

 you would have felt it your duty to have obeyed it? 



