75 
THE BAIT ACT (1886) DISALLOWED. 
fe. Maan position of the Newfoundland Legislature, the Bait 
4 Act of 1886 was disallowed by the British Government, the 
_ reasons being given in the following despatch from the Secretary 
of State to the Governor of the colony :— 
Colonial Office to Governor Sir G. William Des Veum. 
[Copy, Newfoundland, 4. | 
“ Downine STREET, 
“ 3rd February, 1837. 
ia “Sir,—I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your 
_ “despatch, No. 2, of the 14th of January last, upon the subject 
_ “of the Bill passed by the Legislative Council and Assembly of 
_ “Newfoundland during the last session, and reserved by you for 
i, “ the signification of Her Majesty’s pleasure, entitled, ‘An Act to 
_ “* Regulate the Exportation and Sale of Herring, Caplin, Squid, 
_ “and other Bait Fishes,’ a transcript of which accompanied your 
_ “despatch, No. 60, of the 26th of May iast. 
_ “ Her Majesty’s Government have carefully considered your 
_ “despatch now under acknowledgment, together with your pre- 
_ “vious despatches on the subject, as well as the Attorney- 
 * General’s report and the petition which accompanied your 
“ despatch, No. 60, of the 19th of June last, addressed to the 
_ “Secretary of State by both Houses of the Legislature, praying 
_ that the Bill may not be disallowed. 
ag “The representations made by the Attorney and by Sir 
__ © Ambrose Shea, with whom Her Majesty’s Government had the 
_ “advantage of repeatedly conferring during their visits to this 
' “country, have also received full attention, Owing to the 
_ “changes of the Government here, there has, unfortunately, 
“ been some unavoidable delay in dealing with this question ; but 
“1 have made it the first subject of my consideration, and have 
“not lost any time in bringing it under the notice of Her 
* Majesty’s Government, who recognise the great importance of 
“maintaining and developing by all legitimate means that 
* industry on which the greater part of the population of New- 
* foundland is directly or indirectly dependent. The representa- 
