ORAL ARGUMENT OP SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 229 



Kow, tin's is by the geiitleinan wlio Las to inspect the drives and 

 make the return to the Government in regard to that matter, 



I call attention to that. It must be due to the fact that something 

 has happened to the two-year-old seals of the year before or the three- 

 year-old seals of the year before. Somehow or other the seals which 

 have been two and three years old in the year 1889 did not appear in 

 the same proportion as three- or four-year-old seals in 1890. 



Now, what does that point to? It points to a death or diminution of 

 the older seals in that year. 



Mr. Carter. — By redriving? 



Sir Richard Webster. — Yes, by redriving. 



Mr. Carter. — But there was not any redriving in 1889. 



Sir KiCHARD Webster. — Forgive me; this Report is written in the 

 year 1890, and if there was no redriving in 1889, it is the strongest 

 corroboration of what I say. 



Mr. Carter. — I was not speaking of any argument to be derived 

 from it, but the fact. 



Sir Richard Webster. — In order that I may not appear to be 

 taking it from Mr. Carter, because I think he will lind that it is not 

 quite accurate, "we have it now suggested that redriving never began 

 till 1889. 



Mr. Carter.— JSTo; 1890. 



Sir Richard Webster. — You said 1889; but 1890 will make it 

 stronger. Tliat is what Mr. Goft" says. I will not be deflected from 

 my point. I beg my learned friends' pardon ; I care not when redriv- 

 ing began. Whatever it was, it was not the death of the piip from 

 jielagic sealing; it is something which x^revented the three-year-olds 

 being four-year-olds, and the four-year-olds being five-year-olds. 



Would you look, Mr. President, if it is not nnduly troubling you, at 

 the following passages? 



The season closed ou the 20th of July, and the drives iu July show a decided 

 increase in the perceutaoes of small seals turned away, and a decrease iu the killa- 

 hles over the drives of June, demonstrating con(lusi\'ely that there were hut few 

 killahle seals arriving, and that the larger part of those returning to the islands 

 were the pups of last year. The average daily killing for the season was 400, or a 

 daily average of 522 including only the days worked. 



In 1889 the average daily killing from 1st of June to the 20th of July inclusive 

 was 1,516, or a daily average of 1,974 including only the days Avorkod. With this 

 undeniable decrease in meiclmntalde seals, and knowing the impoverished condition 

 of the rookeries and hauling grounds, and believing it to be inimical to the best 

 interest of the Government to extend the time for killing beyond the 20th of July, 

 I adhered to the letter and spirit of your instructions to me, and closed the killing 

 season ou the 20th of July, against the bitter protestations of Mr. George R. Tingle, 

 General Manager for the lessees; 



he was the gentleman who said everything was going on all right. 



His communication to me upon the subject and my reply are enclosed. Had there 

 been a reasonable probability of the lessees securing their qiiola of 50,000 seals I 

 should have deemed it my duty to extend the time for killing to the 31st of July. 



The killing of the 6th of June, the first of the season, Avas from the Reef Rookery, 

 with a drive of about 700 seals; the total killed, 116,83 1/2 per cent, being turned 

 away as too small. 



Will any man wlio values his position in arguing suggest that the 

 larger proportion of smaller seals could possibly be produced by pelagic 

 sealing? It is obvious that it must have been something which has 

 affected the length of life of the two- and three-year old seals. That 

 is perfectly plain. 



On the 11th of June, the drive was from the Reef Rookery, about 1,000; total 

 killed, 574 ; 42 1/2 per cent, turned awiiy. On the, 24tli of June the drive was from the 

 Reef Rookery and Zoltoi hauling grounds combined, and about 141 were driven; 



