THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                  1317

May 9, 1955

Honorable John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

House Bill 607 authorizes the imposition of a tobacco tax in Harford
County without limitation on the rate of tax. This bill, except for
the absence of violation penalties, is virtually identical with House
Bill 559, which I have today vetoed as an unsound extension of local
taxing powers in a field in which the State has not yet acted and in
which I trust it will not be necessary to act. for a fuller statement of
my basic objections to this bill, which I am returning without my
approval, I respectfully refer you to my veto message in connection
with House Bill 559.

Respectfully,

(s) THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor
TRMcK/A

House Bill No. 611—Land Surveyors

AN ACT to add a new sub-paragraph to Section 12 of Article 7514
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Profes-
sional Engineers and Land Surveyors", said new sub-paragraph to
be known as (3)d and to follow immediately after sub-paragraph
(3)c thereof, authorizing the licensing of persons as land sur-
veyors who have had at least two years experience in land survey-
ing and shall have been licensed by the Board as a Registered
Professional Engineer, and shall appear on the Official Roster of
said Board as majoring or qualified in civil engineering.

May 9, 1955-
Honorable John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I am returning herewith House Bill 611 without my approval. This
measure would add to existing law another alternative basis for
qualification as a land surveyor, which would lower the educational
and experience qualifications. The State Board of Registration of
Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, the Maryland Society
of Surveyors, the Maryland Section of the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers and other groups and individuals interested in
the maintenance of standards in this field, including the Dean of the
College of Engineering at the University of Maryland, feel that two
years is an insufficient period of time in which to acquire the neces-
sary education and experience to serve as a Land Surveyor. The
lowering of the standards may result in inferior work and be
harmful to the property owners of Maryland.