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is one interest paramount. Our fisheries have an element of strength 

 in being a food product. In the consumption of manufactured arti- 

 cles a person can largely diminish their personal use, but food he 

 must have. In chemical analysis, fish have not received the rank to- 

 which they are entitled among staples, and relatively the prices are 

 not graded as they should be. To-day fish and mackerel are the 

 cheapest food in the market according to their value as a sustenance, 

 and there is forthcoming tables from the highest scientific authority 

 that will do justice to our product. Man}' of our people need educa- 

 tion in the use of fish, for while the fish of the great lakes and the 

 southern coasts and rivers are largely used, there is none can take 

 the place of our cured fish and mackerel when properly prepared. 



The change that has been so rapidly taking place in the care and 

 disposal of fish whereb} 7 we now place on the market a large part of 

 our product in a fresh condition, and which necessitates the use of 

 large quantities of ice, brings into prominence a question that has- 

 heretofore not received the attention which it now demands. The 

 competition of the Dominion is not going to be bounded by the sale 

 of boneless, dried and pickled or green fish, but they will compete 

 with our vessels with their fresh fish, halibut and herring. Now if 

 we are to have protection we want it full and complete. 



The tariff that goes into effect next July places fish fresh for con- 

 sumption on the free list. Now this qualification must be defined ;: 

 and it may require legislation to do it. The present aspect of de- 

 partmental decision would imply that fish fresh for consumption were 

 fish fresh caught, and not preserved by artificial means. The mean- 

 ing of the term is not fresh in contradistinction to .salt, nor does it 

 mean fresh preserved fish, such as are kept sweet by freezing, but 

 simply the fresh caught fish that would reach the market in that con- 

 dition and enter into the immediate consumption of the people with- 

 out the aid of any artificial means whatever. 



On the prompt settlement of this question the so called fresh trips of 

 our vessels depend for protection. The decisions of the department 

 on the British caught lake fish, to which the provisions of the pres- 

 ent treaty do not apply, make it imperative that British fresh caught 

 fish are free of duty as long as they are in that condition. But after 

 their purchase on the American side if they are not disposed of and 

 actually consumed as fresh fish but are salted or smoked, the preser- 



