ARGUMENT OF SIE WILLIAM ROBSON. 1761 



not even paying a bounty ; because, the United States fishing masters 

 are anxious for men. Apparently they do not seem willing to pay 

 the high rates necessary to get United States citizens, and I dare say 

 they would be very glad to get men from the French coast to enlist 

 there, who would be thereby able to get all the advantages which 

 they have given up by treaty. Can that be intended ? And yet that 

 is the result of the United States contention. That is the effect of it. 

 That is the thing which will happen on the first breath of difficulty, 

 on the first friction between Newfoundland and the United States. 



I repeat my apology for the length to which I have gone in this 

 question much farther than I intended to go. I thought I should 

 have finished well before 12 o'clock. I am sorry that I have taken 

 so long a time over it. 



THE PRESIDENT : May I apologise for another question still : Would 

 it be possible to draw a distinction between a special prohibition 

 against employing foreigners of all nations in the fishing industry 

 of the United States, and, on the other hand, a general prohibition 

 against foreigners of a determined nationality, based on general 

 economic principles, militating against underselling natives in 

 wages ? 



SIR W. ROBSON: It would be very difficult, Sir. I can scarcely 

 imagine how such a provision could be framed. 



THE PRESIDENT: If, for instance, Newfoundland would forbid the 

 Chinese every industry : Would this prohibition, possibly, apply also 

 to the fishing industry, and would it be possible to make such a pro- 

 hibition, whereas it would not be possible to prohibit foreigners of 

 all nations to enter this specific industry of fishing ? On the one side 

 1 suppose the case of a special prohibition against the employment of 

 foreigners of all nations in this determined fishing industry, and 

 on the other side I suppose a general prohibition against persons of 

 a certain nationality, based on general principle not applying to 

 the fishing industry, but to all industry generally. 



SIR W. ROBSON : I take the two cases that you have been good 

 enough, Sir, to suggest: An enactment, say, by Newfoundland, 

 which should forbid persons of any nationality, other than the treaty 

 nationality, to be employed in this industry ? 



THE PRESIDENT: Yes. 



SIR W. ROBSON : Or, on the other hand, a statute which should for- 

 bid particular nationalities one does not like to be invidious but, 

 say, persons of Asiatic nationality 



THE PRESIDENT: Yes. 



SIR W. ROBSON: from being employed at all? 



THE PRESIDENT: Yes. 



SIR W. ROBSON : Do I understand that your question is : Whether 

 it would be possible for Newfoundland to undertake one of those 

 prohibitions without the other? 



