75 
round the coast which they certainly ought to have. He 
noticed that the question of raising the money at a low rate 
of interest was discussed in the report, and he believed that 
the Government would consider the question of employing 
convict labour in the construction of harbours of refuge. 
Mr. JEX said that as one of the Jury of the No. 5 division 
of the International Fisheries Exhibition, he had examined 
minutely into every detail connected both with boats used 
for the conveyance of fish from the smacks to the steamers, 
and the Jurors had come to the conclusion that there was 
nothing in the Exhibition sufficient to merit the award of 
the special prize of £60. They had recommended that the 
Executive should write to Mr. Edwards to get his consent 
to this prize standing over for six months, and that the 
award of the gold medal offered by the Executive should 
stand over for the same period in order that boat-builders 
might have another opportunity of producing some boat to 
meet their requirements. A great number of men were 
lost when the boats were returning empty from the steam- 
carrier or cutter, the boats being light, and in a cross 
choppy sea get struck aft, and get what is technically 
known among fishermen as pooped, then upset ; and when 
the boat is capsized, the men generally place themselves in 
the midship section, and are then washed off by the sea. I 
have frequently recommended that a line be run the length 
of the keel from stem to stern, and spliced, so that the 
men should have the means of righting the boats. If 
they would get as near to the stern post as possible they 
would go with the boat, and not run so much risk of being 
washed repeatedly off the boat and lost. 
The CHAIRMAN announced that the Executive had written 
to Mr. Edwards asking him to allow his prize to remain 
open for another six months. 
