ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 1439

but they wish to be registered. as public accountants in order to
give them a better professional standing in case they or any
of them should not in fact be re-appointed. All of them were
entitled to register up until January 1, 1925, and were aware
of this privilege but neglected to take advantage of it.

I do not think I would have any objection to approving this
bill if the deputies and assistants in the State Auditor's office
were the only persons benefited by it. The difficulty is that
the bill re-opens the registration lists to a great many other
persons who will now contend that they were entitled to regis-
ter before January 1, 1925, and it imposes upon the State
Board of Examiners of Public Accountants the very difficult
task of ascertaining whether these persons did in fact possess
the necessary statutory qualifications over five years ago.

It is quite possible that this bill might result in the regis-
tration as public accountants of persons not really qualified.
Moreover, if this exemption from the requirements of the ac-
counting law were granted to one group or class, this would
almost certainly lead to other exemptions, and thus weaken the
very excellent accountancy law which prevails in this State.

For these reasons, I do not feel justified, in reopening the
registration lists for the benefit of all who may claim that they
were entitled to register over five years ago but neglected to
do so, and I will, accordingly, veto the bill.

HIGHWAY BILLS.
(Chapter 229, House Bill 511)

This bill directs the State Roads Commission to construct a
three and one-fifth mile gravel road from the Confederate
Monument in Saint Mary's County to Point Lookout, and
three-fourths of a mile of gravel road from the Confederate
Monument to Scotland Beach at a cost not to exceed $25, 000,
the same to be taken from the Motor Vehicle registration fees.

These fees are dedicated by law to the maintenance and re-
construction of existing roads, and the precedent should not be
established of using money so dedicated for construction pur-
poses. To do this in one county would lead to similar requests
from other counties, and the result would be a diversion of
the maintenance and reconstruction funds to purposes for
which they are not intended.

For these reasons, this bill will be vetoed.