AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Is not the halibut fishery entirely a deep sea fishery. A. Yes. 



Q. Would you not be surprised to hear of any inshore 'halibut fishing 

 of any consequence? A. I h'ad one vessel make two trips to the north 

 shore of the St. Lawrence, up at Seven Islands. They were successful 

 in getting one or two trips ; but they tried four other times to get trips 

 and were unsuccessful. 



Q. From your experience and knowledge, what likelihood would there 

 be in the truth of a story of a large number of vessels going into Cape 

 Sable Island to catch mackerel, and getting heavy catches ? A. I never 

 heard of any vessels fishing in there ; it is very improbable, indeed. 4 



Q. You are also engaged in the herring fishery? A. Somewhat j 

 my business in herring is limited. 



Q. What do you do in the way of the herring business ? A. I know 

 about the business. I have had some experience in it, and have had 

 vessels engaged in it. 



Q. What is the herring fishing! Is it a fishing business or a mercan- 

 tile business, as far as Gloucester is concerned ? A. Our vessels' go to 

 the places where the tierring are fished in the winter time, and buy them 

 from the shore-men, freeze them, carry them to market, and sell them 

 as an article of food, principally. We use some in our business for bait 

 in the winter time ; but we sell them principally as an article of food. 



Q. Then it is entirely a mercantile transaction ? A. We don't fish 

 for any. We buy them from the people on the shore, who catch them. 



Q. With your experience of the fisheries, and the interest you have 

 in them, what is your opinion in regard to returning to the old system 

 of charging $2 per barrel duty on British fish, or giving up the duty for 

 the privilege of fishing inshore. Which would you prefer, and what do 

 you think about it ? A. I don't know that I should advocate such a 

 going back as that in these times. I balieve in going ahead. The time 

 has passed to go back to such a state of affairs. 



Q. Would you, as a business man, prefer to have the privilege of fish- 

 ing within the three-mile limit, or would you prefer to have the duty of 

 $2 per barrel imposed on fish coming into competition with your fish, 

 and be excluded from the three-mile limit ? A. I would answer that in 

 this way : in connection with any business personally, I would very much 

 prefer the $2 per barrel duty. "But I looked at it iu a broader sense, 

 when I answered it as I did at first. I would not advocate the idea, 

 because my own personal interest is very small, compared with the needs 

 of both countries. It is a step I would not be in favor of endeavoring 

 to carry into effect. Personally, it would be decidedly for my benefit. 



Q. To a certain extent it would be a pecuniary benefit to you ; but 

 you think it would be illiberal either to charge a duty o.f $2 per barrel 

 on British fish, or to exclude our fishermen from the three-mile limit T 

 A. I do. I was very decidedly against taking oft' the duty at that time, 

 but it has passed. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. Who pays the duty ? A. It comes from the producer of the fish. 



Q. Why? A. I don't think the small quantity of fish which comes 

 in from the provinces, compared with our quantity, affects the price of 

 fish to our consumers. If they have to pay a duty, they will have to 

 have it deducted when the receipts for the fish are sent back. A duty 

 does not affect the price to the consumer. It would have a tendency to 

 prevent people continuing the business here, which might in time make 

 a shorter catch, and give us the advantage. If there should be $2 per 

 barrel duty imposed, I have my idea of what would become of the busi- 

 ness. 



