1484 NORTH ATLANTIC COAST FISHERIES ARBITRATION. 



p. 401. This is an extract from the " Birmingham Daily Post," of 

 the 9th March, 1907: 



" Sir Robert Bond, the Prime Minister of Newfoundland, has sent 

 us a document containing a verbatim report of a speech delivered in 

 the House of Assembly protesting against the Fisheries arrangement 

 with the United States. It is a verbose and contentious production 

 which can hardly have failed to have had a mischievous effect upon 

 the minds of the colonists. We regret that he should have found 

 himself unable to accept the decision of the Imperial Government 

 without taking a course calculated to foment resentment in the 

 island ; " 



On the 26th March, 1907, there was what is described as being a 

 " monster mass meeting of fishermen " at the Bay of Islands, which 

 certainly seems to have been very largely attended. A description 

 of it is found at pp. 384-5 of the United States Counter-Case Appen- 

 dix. It was presided over by a fisherman: 



" Other speakers took the floor, and freely expressed themselves on 

 the fishery question, and clearly showed their indignation over the 

 action of the Bond Government in enforcing such stringent regula- 

 tions on the fishermen. Here is the resolution, and also the address : 



" ' Whereas we, the people of Bay of Islands, view with alarm the 

 policy of the Government of this Colony regarding our Jherring fish- 

 ery; and, 



" ' Whereas, in the interests of our families, we feel that it becomes 

 necessary for us to protest against said policy, and to appeal to our 

 Gracious Majesty the King for protection and preservation; be it 

 therefore 



" ' Resolved,' " 



897 And they appealed directly to the King. They say also 

 down on that same page : 



" Without this American market, the fishery would be of little or 

 no benefit to us, as the demand for the fish in other directions, on the 

 same or as good terms, is comparatively nothing." 



They state on p. 386 : 



"We beg to state most emphatically that the people of this coast 

 are unanimous in condemning this policy as one which is injurious to 

 the best interests of the Colony as a whole, and ruinous to the liveli- 

 hood of the people of this Western Coast." 



On p. 387 of the Appendix to the Counter-Case of the United 

 States is an account of the same meeting; it is from the "Daily 

 News " of St. John's. I will read a word from the bottom of p. 388 : 



" Through this anti-American policy we have been placed in a posi- 

 tion which is humiliating to all concerned. 



" It is humiliating to our fishermen, as it has transformed them 

 from a position of independence to a position of servitude, and 

 alleged illegal servitude at that." 



