2058 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. In 1855 was it worth anything! A. No; there were just a few. 



Q. Immediately after the Reciprocity Treaty it became useless, did 

 it? A. I don't know; I never was catching any mackerel, only those 

 20 barrels. 



Q. You never were on the island yourself at all, fishing, except in 

 1851 ? A. That is all. In 1855 I fished awhile in there. 



Q. Where then ? A. Off Souris. 



Q. Close in ? A. Three or four miles. 1 suppose it was within the 

 limits. 



Q. If you were three or four miles you were not within the limits. 

 A. We were close in. 



Q. Do you mean within three miles ? A. Yes. 



Q. Although you knew the inshore fishing was no good, you took out 

 a license and paid $50 odd for it? A. 881. 



Q. Although you thought it was worth nothing. That is a curious 

 thing, is it not? A. Well, I had a new vessel, worth $11,000, and I 

 didn't care to lose her. She might go inshore and get caught, and I 

 might have a lawsuit, and so it might cost more than she was worth to 

 get her back. 



Q. Then you paid not because you wanted to fish inshore, but because 

 you were afraid the cruisers would catch you, although fishing outside ? 

 A. That is the very idea. 



Q. But you paid $81 for the privilege of fishing inshore, although you 

 knew it was worth nothing? A. 1 instructed the captain to buy a 

 license, and not to risk the vessel in there. 



Q. You had a pretty good reason for that. You supposed he would 

 probably fish inshore ? A. I didn't know whether he would fish inshore 

 or not. I didn't ask him, and I didn't know whether he fished in there 

 or not. All I knew was that he fished around the shores of Cape 

 Breton and Prince Edward Island. 



Q. Did you ever send a vessel in since? A. Not for mackerel. 



Q. Y'ou stated in answer to Mr. Trescot that you would rather have 

 the duties put on and be excluded from British waters ; do you mean 

 that ? A. I do. 



Q. If that is the case, how do you account for it that so many Ameri- 

 can fishermen went into the gulf and ran the risk of being captured, if 

 they are all of your opinion ? A. I do not know whether I take your 

 meaning. 



(Question repeated.) Well. 



Q. You say you would rather have the duty paid; you think you 

 would make more money ; you are speaking as a fisherman ? A. Yes. 



Q. You would have a better market for your fish ? Under the pres- 

 ent system the consumer gets his fish cheaper, does he not ? Y r ou would 

 make the consumer pay that $200 duty. You would sell your fish $200 

 higher? A. Yes. 



Mr. TRESCOT. That is political economy. 



Mr. THOMSON. Why did you ask him ? " 



Mr. TRESCOT. I asked him simply which system he would prefer. 



Mr. THOMSON. I am asking him why. 



Q. And you say the reason is that you would get so much money 

 in your pocket at the expense of the people that eat fish. Is not that 

 the wbole story ? A. Certainly. 



Q. So that if Mr. Trescot lived in the same place and was partial to 

 mackerel you would make him pay more and he would have to lose it! 

 Now, you spoke about getting bait for codfish on you own shores. Don't 



