2868 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



must it not necessarily euchance the price of their fish ? A. Not neces- 

 sarily. 



Q. What if the supply is limited one-quarter, would not this have 

 that effect? A. If one-quarter of the supply was cut off, it would have 

 some effect ; but if there was a good catch on the American shore, this 

 would not enhance the price $2 a barrel. 



Q. If the one quarter thus lacking was made up, and the demand 

 supplied, that would not be the case; but if one quarter of the average 

 supply was taken out of the market, do you not believe that this would 

 necessarily enhance the price? A. It might have some effect upon it, 

 but it would not enhance the price $2 a barrel. 



Q. You think not? A. No. 



Q. Between what prices do mackerel vary in the market? A. From 

 $5 to $30 per barrel for the different qualities. 



Q. What are the causes of these variations ? A. Partly the quality 

 and partly the catch. 



Q. The consumption remains on the average about the same? A. 

 No ; it does not. It is not now what it was 5 or 10 years ago. 



Q. Has it been about the same during the last 5 years ? A. It varies 

 according to the price. 



Q. What is the cause of the variation in prices? A. The catch, in 

 great measure. 



Q. Suppose that one-quarter of the catch was withdrawn, would 

 the price then go up? A. This would depend upon the catch and 

 quality. 



Q. If the catch fell off one-quarter, would not the price inevitably go 

 up ? A. It would have that effect, of course. 



Q. Suppose that one quarter of the catch on the American shore fell 

 off, compared with the average, would not the price then go up ? A. 

 It always goes up then. 



Q. If the price goes up, who pays the enhanced price ; is it not the 

 consumer? A. Yes. 



Q. And if the catch is large the price goes down ; so it would depend 

 in some measure on whether the catch on the American or on our own 

 shore was large, as to who would pay-this duty ? A. Yes ; and on the 

 quality of the mackerel. 



Q. All these elements would have to be considered ? A. Some, yes; 

 there is no other market than the United States for mackerel, and of 

 course we have no other market for these fish. 



Q. I think you left the impression on some minds, at least, that the 

 imposition of the duty caused your disasters? A. Yes. 



Q. Was there not another cause for them, which accounted in large 

 measure for the failure of your catch that year the effect consequent 

 on your vessels being seized ? A. They were seized in 1870. 



Q. Had not that a great deal to do with your difficulties? A. Of 

 course. I lost money by these seizures, and, my business being broken 

 up, 1 was not able to trade in Charlottetown. 



Q. Did not that materially contribute to your difficul ties ? A. We 

 would not have failed on that account. We were worth a large 

 amount of property, and we could have stood a great many losses like 

 that. 



Q. But this was one of the causes that contributed, and contributed 

 largely to it? A. A small percentage of it was due to that. 



Q. Do you know whether purse-seining has been looked on by fisher- 

 men generally as a failure or not? A. I think that it is not looked 





