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2 representative was unable the next day to find any of these thousands of ducks and when the person alleged to have made the statement was asked the name of the party to whom he made application for permission to ship these thousands of ducks at his own expense he denied it, as the following communication will show: "Sacramento, Nov. 3, 1917. "Mr. Egilbert, Willows, Cal. Dear Sir: "Yours of October 30th is received. After discussing the same with Mr. F. M. Newbert, President of the Fish and Game Commission, he wishes me to say that he is in entire accord with you relative to cooperation between the grain grower and the Fish and Game Commission in order to lessen and perhaps eliminate the loss sustained by the deprediations of birds to growing rice. He states this cooperation should not be postponed until just before the next harvest season. "Referring to the third paragraph of your letter, will say that the clipping referred to and printed in the Willows Journal reads as follows: "'Some time ago Mr. Egilbert of the Western Rice Growers' Association asked for permission to ship at his own expense the ducks which were being killed, to State Institutions rather than see them going to waste on the ground, This permission was not granted, etc.' "This article has been widely copied by numerous papers of the State. The editor of the Journal stated to me, in the presence of his reporter, that you gave him the information quoted in the above clipping. In all justness and fairness I think you should deny the statement alleged to have been made by you if, as you say, you did not make it. The Journal, I feel sure, would be only too pleased to right a wrong, if a wrong can be righted, by denying the statement attributed to you. "The law requires that all unlawfully killed fish and game shall be donated by the Fish and Game Commission to some charitable institution. Had there been any such game as stated, the Commission would have complied with the law, paying all expenses of same. It has gone forth to the people of this State that you were refused permission to do this, which is untrue, because no request was made. Such reports as these, if not corrected, only add to the difficulties of the controversy. These difficulties can be overcome, however, by a frank statements of facts. "Hoping to hear from you at an early date, I beg to remain, "Very truly yours, (Signed) Geo. Neale, Assistant."
