582 ARTICLE 19A.

ARTICLE 19 A.

CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.1

1. Conservation commissioner. 2. Office; employees. 3. Powers and duties. 4. Engineer; commander of state fishery force; state game warden. 5. Powers and duties; offices abolished. 6. Barren oyster bottoms. 7. Reserved areas upon depleted natural bars.

8 Control over inspection of oysters, fish and crabs; enforcement of laws; measures and inspectors. 9. Conservation fund; state game pro- tection fund. 10. Vessels of state fishery, force; expendi- tures. 11. Eeport to Governor. 12. Object of article; effect of unconsti- tutional provision.

An. Code, sec. 1. 1916, ch. 682. 1922, ch. 29 (p. 67).

1. The Conservation Department is hereby created and established.
The head of this Department shall be the Conservation Commissioner, who,
as far as practicable, shall be specially informed in the following subjects:
oysters, clams, fish crabs, terrapin, wild fowl, birds, game and fur-bearing
animals. The Commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor. The term
of the Commissioner shall be four years from the first Monday in May
succeeding his appointment, except that the Commissioner first appointed
under this Act shall be appointed and his term shall begin on January 1,
1923, and he shall hold office until the first Monday of May, 1924, and until
his successor shall qualify. The Governor shall have power of removal for
cause and he shall fill any vacancy however occurring. The salary of the
Commissioner shall be $4,000 a year, and he shall be entitled to receive in
addition thereto the necessary traveling expenses and disbursements in-
curred by him in the discharge of his official duties. The Commissioner
shall from time to time adopt such by-laws and rules of procedure for the
conduct of his Department as he may deem necessary.

As to the state horticultural department, the inspection of trees and fruits, and
" feeding stuffs," see art. 48.

An. Code, sec. 2. 1916, ch. 682.

2. The Commissioner shall establish and maintain an office where
meetings may be held, and where all books, records, charts and other official
papers and documents relating to the work of the Commissioner shall be
kept. The Commissioner shall employ a chief clerk at an annual salary
not exceeding $1,500., a deputy clerk at an annual salary not exceeding
$1,200., and, with the approval of the Governor, such other employees as
the Commissioner may deem necessary.

1 See arts. 39, 72 and 99.