130 FISHERIES OP THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 



LEGISLATION OF 1823 AND 1824. 



In keeping with the recommendations of the committee, 

 given above, an Act of the Legislature was passed in 1823 to 

 provide for the inspection of fish and oil exported from Que- 

 bec and Montreal. The preamble to this Act set forth that 

 ^The Trade of the Province" would be essentially promoted 

 if such fish and fish oil as are well cured and prepared and 

 fit for foreign markets, were distinguished from such as are 

 imperfectly cured and unmerchantable, by an inspection 

 made in virtue of, and under the authority of an Act of the 

 Legislature. 



The Act in question provided for the appointment of 

 one or more inspector or inspectors of fish and oil in each 

 of the cities of Quebec and Montreal. The duties of these 

 inspectors were to inspect and classify all fish and oil intended 

 for export, and to mark the result of their inspection and 

 classification on the outside of the barrels or casks in which 

 they were contained. All ship captains were prohibited from 

 accepting for export, any fish or fish oils not inspected and 

 branded as provided by the Act, or any fish otherwise packed 

 than as provided by the Act. Dried codfish, for instance, was 

 to be packed in good and substantial hogsheads or casks 

 made of oak with heads and butts of pine, spruce Or other 

 soft wood proper for the purpose, and to be branded on the 

 hogshead or cask with the word "Madeira" if of first quality, 

 and with the words "West India" if of second quality. The 

 hogshead or casks of the first quality were to be 42 inches in 

 length of stave, the heads and butts 32 inches in diameter and 

 to contain at least 8 quintals of fish. The casks of the second 

 class were to have heads and butts of 28 inches in diameter 

 and to contain at least six quintals. 



In 1824 many of the suggestions made by the Legislative 

 Committee of 1823 above referred to in regard to the fisheries 

 of what was then known as Lower Canada, were enacted 

 into law by the Act 4, George IV., entitled "An Act for the 

 better regulation of the fisheries in the Inferior District of 



