446 MISCELLANEOUS 



under dflte 23d of March, and I will ask the permission of the House 

 to read it: 



" ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, March 23, 1905. 

 " Right Honorable Sir R. BOND, P. C., K. C. M. G., 



"Colonial Secretary. 



" DEAR SIR : At a meeting convened and held on this day, at which 

 the following were present: Honorables E. R. Bowring, John Harvey, 

 Eli Dawe, James Baird, R. K. Bishop, Sir Robert Thorburn, Messrs. 

 R. F. Goodridge, J. S. Munn, H. A. Bowring, R. B. Job, and Joseph 

 Outerbridge, to consider the desirability of prohibiting the sale of 

 bait fishes to other than our own fishermen, the following resolutions 

 were unanimously passed: 



" ''Resolved, That, in the opinion of the meeting, it is expedient and 

 highly important that immediate steps should be taken to prohibit 

 American fishermen from obtaining supplies of bait fishes in the har- 

 bors or upon the coast of Newfoundland, and that a copy of these 

 resolutions, bearing signatures, be forward forthwith to the Right 

 Honorable Sir Robert Bond, P. C., K. C. M. G. 



" ''Resolved, That the government be requested to prevent barring 

 of herrings upon the coast of Newfoundland, except only Placentia 

 and Fortune bays, and to put an export tax upon bulk herrings ex- 

 ported in any but Newfoundland vessels.' 

 " We have, etc., 



(Signed) " R. THORBURN. 



" JAS. BAIRD. 

 " J. OUTERBRIDGE. 

 " R. K. BISHOP. 

 " E. R. BOWRING. 

 " JOHN HARVEY. 

 " ROBERT B. JOB. 

 " H. A. BOWRIXG. 

 " R. F. GOODRIDGE. 

 " JOHN S. MUNN." 



I anticipate that the honorable leader of the opposition will not 

 take the position that the merchants, while in favor of prohibiting 

 the supply of bait fishes to the Americans, also expressed an opinion 

 in favor of an export duty being placed on bulk herrings exported 

 in any but Newfoundland vessels, and that this bill does not admit 

 of any exportation of herring in foreign bottoms under any circum- 

 stances. My answer to that position, if put forward, is that the 

 government have not been unmindful of that portion of the resolu- 

 tions forwarded by the mercantile body which has reference to an 

 export duty. This bill is framed specially to prevent the American 

 fishermen from coming into the bays, harbors, and creeks of the 

 coast of Newfoundland for the purpose of obtaining herring, caplin, 

 and squid for fishery purposes, and it is still competent for this leg- 

 islature to make provision in respect to the export of herring in bulk 

 in foreign vessels upon the payment of an export duty. It is quite 

 competent for the House to add a clause to this bill enabling the 

 governor in council to suspend the operation of the act at any time it 

 may be considered expedient to do so and to admit foreign vessels 

 for the purpose of taking herring in bulk. It is my intention before 

 the bill passes through to move such a clause for the approval of this 



