135 



than the stipulated amount, whenever the week's fishing proved suc- 

 cessful; and the expectant applicants exercised a salutary vigilance 

 that there should be no undue remissness in the payments. 



' In order still further to induce punctuality, and likewise to aid 

 these miserably poor people, without compromising the feelings of in- 

 dependence and self-reliance, which the Committee were most anxious 

 to cherish, it was also stipulated, that if the instalments of sixpence in 

 the pound were regularly paid up for thirty weeks, that is fifteen shil- 

 lings in the pound, the remaining five shillings, or 25 per cent., would 

 be remitted as a bonus; but any person getting four weeks into arrear, 

 would be disentitled to this allowance; and this arrangement has had 

 a very beneficial effect. 



1 But however excellent a plan may be in the abstract, experience 

 abundantly shows, that unless the individual who undertakes its man- 

 agement and supervision is qualified for the task, disappointment is 

 oftentimes the result. The accompanying interesting reports (from 

 the Rev. Mr. Alcock), and the valuable suggestions they contain, will 

 fully testify how judiciously and successfully the views of the Com- 

 mittee have been carried out.' 



The sum thus lent was 56 2s. Qd., which with 7 from the London 

 Ladies' Association, and twenty barrels of meal, constituted the whole 

 amount advanced. 'With this and the repayments, 178 loans have 

 been made; and the parties thus assisted have, it appears, besides 

 (with little exception) regularly paying up their instalments, been en- 

 abled to maintain themselves and those dependent upon them ; at a 

 time, too, when in the surrounding parishes the Poor Law Guardians 

 were overwhelmed with wretched objects imploring relief. 



'In tenth month, 1847, a deputation from the Auxiliary Committee 

 visited the district, and were much gratified at beholding the happy 

 countenances, the independent bearing, arid consciousness of self- 

 respect apparent among the fishermen. 



' These poor people, whilst pouring forth their grateful acknowledg- 

 ments for the assistance given them, feelingly adverted to the severe 

 injury they sustained by the legal restrictions on the use of the trammel 

 net, to which within the last few years they had been subjected. This 

 kind of net is cheap in its construction, inexpensive in working it, and 

 takes a large quantity of fish. Different applications have been made 

 to the Irish Fishery Board for the removal of these prejudicial restric- 

 tions, but hitherto without effect not even the slightest relaxation 

 having been yet granted. In Great Britain it appears there are no 

 such restrictions. On the contrary, this mode of fishing is perfectly 

 free and unrestrained ; and it certainly does seem extraordinary why 

 a different course should be pursued as regards Ireland. 



' Another great impediment to their success has been the want of 

 a suitable pier to shelter their frail craft from the winter storms. At 

 Ballinagoul they pointed to a rude sort of breakwater, formed of loose 

 stones, that they had laboriously piled together, and which is their 

 only protection, but totally inadequate for the purpose. This subject 

 was therefore brought under the notice of the Commissioners of Public 

 Works; and that Board immediately sent down their engineer to 

 examine and report upon it, and have since agreed to expend the sum of 



