72 
‘“‘monopolise it, and I feel satisfied that they would willingly 
“‘ modify the provisions of the measure in favour of such Govern- — 
“ ments as would grant a proportionate reciprocity. 
“26. Without, of course, being able to speak with certainty 
“as to the amount of concession that would be granted by the — 
“ Legislature in any particular case, I have very good reason for 
“believing that, as regards the United States, the right of 
“ obtaining bait would be restored on the opening of the American 
“markets to Newfoundland fish, or (if common cause be made 
“ with Canada) to all British fish ; while, in view of the greater 
“expense involved in maintaining the fishery from head-— 
** quarters on the other side of the Atlantic, I believe that in the 
** case of the French the abolition, or a substantial reduction, of 
“ the export bounties would alone be held sufficient, even though | 
“the other bounties and the prohibition of the import of British 
“fish were still retained. In a word, the principle that the 
“colonists desire to maintain is, ‘Live and let live, and they 
“‘ merely object to that of ‘Let others live by killing us.’ 
“ 26a. But whether the views of the colonists on this subject 
“ are just or not (and after much and anxious -consideration of the 
“ subject I am bound to say that, in my opinion, they are based 
‘on very substantial grounds), the proposed measure of pro- 
“ hibition, as in no way affecting the treaty rights of foreign 
** powers, can scarcely be contended to be otherwise than such as. 
“is within the competence of the local Legislature under the 
“ existing constitution of the colony; and, indeed, if the same 
“ object had been aimed at by more indirect means, and a Bill 
“had been passed imposing a prohibitive duty on bait exported 
“ in foreign vessels, it appears open to doubt whether, under my 
“ existing instructions, I should have been justified in refusing 
* assent to it. 
“‘ 27. But however this may be, any question as to the com- 
* petence in the matter of the Colonial Legislature has been 
“‘ practically set at rest by the recent allowance of the Canadian 
‘“‘ Bill, which, I am informed, adopts almost precisely similar 
“‘ means for securing an analogous object ; and as the importance 
“ of the fisheries to the Dominion is, moreover, incomparably less, 
“for the reasons above given, than to this colony, it may be 
“ presumed that the disallowance of the Newfoundland Bill, 
‘‘ which would appear probable from the long delay of decision, is 
