117 



the use which is made of the money. In those instances in which 

 distress proceeds from losses at sea, from sickness, temporary 

 depressions in trade, or other inevitable calamity, it must be a 

 safe and essential relief; but if it ever be suffered to draw addi- 

 tional hands into an employment, which are not called for, its 

 utility would be more than questionable. For security against 

 such a consequence, it is desirable that the establishment of 

 local Loan Funds, receiving aid from the Government, should, in 

 the first instance, flow from a voluntary co-operation of the re- 

 spectable inhabitants of the district. Such parties, on becoming 

 bound for the repayment of the loans so advanced, will take 

 good care that they are not intrusted to the idle, the dissipated, 

 or the reckless adventurer; and will, in turn, look to a sufficient 

 surety for the borrower's fidelity." 



, In Scotland, where the business of fish-curing is kept distinct 

 from that of catching, the curers make such advances. The 

 system also obtained in the large Irish markets. After detailing 

 their advantages where new boats or nets are wanted, and as 

 preventing usurious charges for small accommodations usual in 

 most places the report proceeds: 



"The Commissioners are therefore led to a conviction that local 

 Loan Funds for the fisheries might tend to an improvement in the 

 condition of the fishermen, and communicate a desirable increase 

 of activity to the trade. They conceive that if funds in aid of 

 local contributions were placed at the disposal of the most intel- 

 ligent contributors associated for their management in various 

 towns around the coast; who should be made responsible for the 

 repayment, (at the same time being strictly limited in their 

 application,) much good would ensue, by the industry and orderly 

 habits which they must induce; and that they might become 

 the basis of a more enlarged loan system for general purposes, 

 connected with Savings' Banks and Benefit Societies, and then 

 solely depend on the capital deposited by individuals. 



"To encourage the formation of local committees for managing 

 such Loan Funds, it has been proposed to the Commissioners 

 and they think it right to offer the suggestion here that money 

 for Loans should be advanced on the security of each individual 

 associated ; that legal power should be given to the associates 

 to take as securities, the unstamped notes of the borrowers and 

 their bail, (as in the case of Charitable Loans,) recoverable if 

 requisite, by summary attachment of property, from local juris- 

 dictions. If such institutions were established, it would be 

 necessary to control them by occasional investigations of 

 accounts, by the publication of transactions, and by limiting the 

 application of the funds (while aided by Government) to specific 

 purposes connected with the Fisheries." 



FISHING AND CURING STATIONS. "Among the various inter- 

 ferences with the fishing trade, heretofore adopted, the establish- 



