Our Fish and Game Commission believe they can get satisfactory and profitable results if given the opportunity. Little can be accomplished without a sufficient appropriation, and any appropriation is useless without supplementing it by ample protective laws strictly enforced. It is useless to make an appropriation for lobster propagation and allow the lobsters to be indiscriminately trapped before reaching the stage of reproduction, or to appropriate for shad propagation and pass laws which permit all of them to be caught before they reach their spawning grounds in our rivers.

The commission claims that the $4,000 yearly appropriation for fish propagation is insufficient, and it is small when compared with $75,000 appropriated by Maine, or $21,000 by New Hampshire, or $175,000 by Massachusetts, or $9,284 appropriated by Vermont which has no seacoast. Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Is it not advisable if we make any appropriation to make one sufficient to demonstrate whether our waters can be made to produce desirable food fish in profitable quantities. If it shall appear that it cannot be done we should cease appropriations for it and content ourselves with the roach, pickerel and bull heads which are indigenous to our streams, lakes and ponds.

STATE FINANCES

During the two years last past our State has been compelled to meet unusual expenses. The cost of maintaining our insane hospitals with some four thousand inmates has greatly increased

because of the increased cost of fuel, food, clothing and labor. The same is true of our School for Boys, our Industrial School for Girls, our Reformatory, and all other institutions supported by the State. To this has been added the amount expended upon our Home Guard, the amount expended by our Council of Defense, the cost of the buildings for the feeble-minded at Mansfield, the establishment of the Connecticut State Farm for Women, the separation allowances for soldiers' dependents, and other expenses which were larger than in normal times, but all of our obligations have been paid and our State finances are in a very encouraging condition.

The 1915 General Assembly provided for a sinking fund to pay off our State bonds as they matured, and that $500,000 each year be added to it.

In my message to the 1917 General Assembly I recommended that three million dollars be transferred from the civil list fund to the sinking fund, which was done. At the end of the fiscal year ending September 30th, 1915, the net indebtedness of the State was $11,920,002.54. On the 30th day of September, 1918, we had sufficient amounts in our sinking fund and civil list fund to pay this indebtedness and leave a surplus of $642,572.29 which is an improvement in the financial condition of the State in three years of $12,562,574.83 and is the first time the State Treasury has shown a surplus since 1907.

I recommend that $6,000,000.00 be transferred from the civil list fund to the sinking fund. I think this would be very satisfactory to those who have paid the taxes which made pos

sible this encouraging financial showing and would give assurance that the sinking fund would be sufficient to pay off our bonds as they mature. If this transfer is made it will leav $2,025,076 in the civil list fund and is sufficient for the needs of the State until added to in the regular course of business.

STATE BOARD OF FINANCE

The 1915 General Assembly provided for a State Board of Finance consisting of the Treasurer, the Comptroller, and the Tax Commissioner, ex officio, and three electors to be appointed by the governor. This board has hearings upon all items of appropriations asked for by institutions supported wholly or in part by the State, tabulates the items and reports the same to the General Assembly with their recommendations. It was the adoption for the business of the State of the same intelligent methods which are adopted by successfully conducted private business enterprises, and results in intelligent and economical action on financial appropriations by the General Assembly. This board devotes a considerable time between the sessions of the General Assembly and thus accumulates information as to the institutions needing State aid.

The three electors on this board each receives $500 for his services, which is a very small compensation for the time they devote to the duties of the board.

The General Assemblies of 1915 and 1917 made commendable records for efficiency and economy, and I trust that you will make a record as good or better. The obvious way to ex

pedite business is to dispose of it as it is presented as promptly as is consistent with its due consideration.

If I had more time to prepare this message I might have included some other matters, but I will do so later if it seems to me to be necessary.

Governor.

THURSDAY, January 16, 1919.

The House was called to order at 11.30 o'clock A. M., the Speaker in the Chair.

Prayer was offered by the Chaplain.

The following members appeared in the Hall of the House and the oath of office was administered to them by the Speaker: Messrs. Allen of Enfield,

Cowles of Farmington,

Mercier of Plainfield and

Alvord of Torrington.

HOUSE PETITIONS

The following petitions were presented and referred to the several committees as follows:

House Petition No. 1. By Mr. Crumb of Bristol, petition of the Bristol Trust Company, concerning merger of the Bristol Trust Company and the Terryville Savings Bank.

To the committee on Banks.

House Petition No. 2. By Mr. Beckwith of West Hartford, petition of Town of West Hartford for the passage of an Act concerning Sewers and Municipal Finances.

To the committee on Cities and Boroughs.

House Petition No. 3. By Mr. Higgins of Coventry, petition of Donald L. Ross for reimbursement for salary and expenses.

To the committee on Claims.

House Petition No. 4. By Mr. Davis of Danbury, petition of John J. Nash for restoration of forfeited rights.

To the committee on Forfeited Rights.

House Petition No. 5. By Mr. Davis of Danbury, petition of Joseph M. Ziegler for restoration of forfeited rights. To the committee on Forfeited Rights.