326 MISCELLANEOUS 



5. They request the attention of your Ministers to the following 



Passages in the letter from Captain Hamond to Vice- Admiral Lyons, 

 ated the 25th October, 1887: 



" I would point out again the absolute necessity of the Newfound- 

 land schooners being properly marked with numbers on their sides 

 and sails, their names being also painted on their sterns, and the ves- 

 sels registered. 



******* 



" As matters stand now, those schooners which fit out for their sum- 

 mer voyage for fish are under no control whatever. 



" With proper means for identifying vessels, I believe the greater 

 part of the wrecking of the ' Belem ' would not have occurred." 



6. Her Majesty's Government trust that this matter will, without 

 delay, receive the serious consideration of your Ministers, with a 

 view to further legislation on the subject, and that in the meantime 

 continued vigilance may be exercised in regard to the strict enforce- 

 ment of the existing law. 



I have, &c. 



(Signed) KNUTSFORD. 



The Attorney-General, St. John's, to Governor Sir T. O^Brien. 



ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, 

 St. John's, November 23, 1889. 



SIR : In obedience to your Excellency's request, I have the honour 

 to submit the following Report in relation to the Act passed during 

 the last Session of the Legislature, cap. 6, relating to the exportation 

 and sale of bait fishes, for the purpose of pointing out the nature of 

 the amendments therein made upon the Acts of the Sessions of 

 1887 and 1888, and the reasons which led to the adoption of those 

 amendments. 



The object of the Act of 1887, 50 Viet., cap 1, amended by that of 

 1888, 51 Viet., cap. 9, was to enable the Government to prohibit the 

 sale, exportation, &c., of bait fishes, for the purpose of supplying bait 

 to foreigners. (Vide section 1 of the Act of 1887, and section 8 of 

 the Act of 1888.) 



The object of the Act of this year is not to extend or alter in any 

 way the purposes or intention of the former Acts, but only to provide 

 more efficient methods of carrying them into effect. 



It was found by experience that several difficulties presented them- 

 selves in enforcing the provisions of the Acts of 1887 and 1888. 



The prohibitory clauses of those Acts expressly applied only to 

 exportation, or to sale or other transaction for the purpose of exporta- 

 tion " for bait purposes." 



The question of fact, to be determined in every case, whether the 

 exportation or other transaction was " for bait purposes," was found 

 to be frequently attended with great difficulty and doubt, arising from 

 the peculiar nature of the fishery business at certain seasons and in 

 certain places. 



At, or nearly at, the same times and places at which the " bait 

 fishes " are usually taken for " bait purposes," by and for our own 



