( 86 ) 



interference with the capture and sale of fish, as it seems to 

 him such can only be justifiable when it can be demonstrat- 

 ed that, unless the Legislature step in, the existence of that 

 important article of diet will cease altogether. A contrary 

 opinion to that advanced in 1868 by the Officiating Chief Com- 

 missioner, and it may perhaps be open to discussion whether 

 waiting until fish have almost been exterminated is a wise and 

 prudent course. In Oudh, three-fourths of the markets are 

 said to have a larger demand than supply, and that fry are 

 extensively destroyed. The Chief Commissioner of the 

 Central Provinces (p. cxviii) considers that, should legisla- 

 tion be decided upon, a very wide discretion should be 

 given to Local Governments in framing the rules, leaving 

 such to be adapted to the case of each district and river. 

 Whilst it has been proposed in the Panjab that (p. xvi) every 

 Deputy Collector should be left to his own devices to stop the 

 destruction of fish, but it is here overlooked that they might 

 have done this before now, but apparently have neglected 

 the subject ; consequently, if no rules are framed, what 

 grounds exist for anticipating an improved state of affairs ? 

 It has been observed in Bombay that a general Act would, 

 be unworkable, therefore it would be better to have one 

 which could be applied, when considered necessary, to 

 particular rivers and localities favourable for fish-breeding 

 (pp. xliii, xlviii), a subject which will have to be more 

 fully considered. In the North-Western Provinces, that 

 the irritation caused would be serious (p. cxlviii), al- 

 though no such result has followed identical regulations in 

 the Panjab (p. cxlvii), whilst in the Doon, in the North- 

 West, the zemindars (p. cxlix) have carried out the pro- 

 positions to prohibit nets with meshes having less than L| 

 inches between each knot, and stopped the damming and 

 turning of streams for fishing purposes. In Burma, the 

 Chief Commissioner is satisfied "that any attempt' to pro- 

 hibit the capture of small fish would be as impolitic as it 

 is unnecessary." Financial reasons have also been adduced 

 that a loss of revenue would at first be a consequence of 

 regulating the minimum size of the mesh of nets (p. xii), 

 66 although it is probable that it would recover itself as large 

 fish increased in numbers, and the fishermen become accus- 

 tomed to the system. " That in Bombay additional police 

 would be rendered necessary (pp. 1, li), also in Madras 

 (pp. Ixxxii, Ixxxvii), and Oudh (p. cxxi). However, in the 

 Panjab it is observed that for carrying out such a scheme 



