THE FISHERY BOARD FOR SCOTLAND 81 



expense of the other classes of the community," he 

 advised that a small fee be charged by the Board 

 for the service of branding herring barrels. 



No effect was given to this recommendation 

 at the time, and in 1855 the Treasury again took 

 the matter up, and issued a minute in which they 

 urged the abolition of the brands, and with this 

 the necessity for the existence of the work of the 

 Board as a separate organisation. The various 

 functions exercised by that body were to be rele- 

 gated to the Admiralty, the coastguard service, 

 and the Customs. The annual vote of 3000 

 for the repair and construction of fishing harbours 

 was not to be discontinued, but each application 

 of this nature was to be considered by itself, 

 and provided for in the estimates. The Fishery 

 Board replied to these proposals by a statement 

 in which they indicated the reasons for the reten- 

 tion of the system. The Treasury now issued a 

 commission to examine into the whole question 

 anew. The members of this body (which reported 

 in 1856) found themselves, in the end, diametri- 

 cally opposed on the main questions submitted 

 to them, and the result was that no action was 

 taken. In 1859, however, the Board began to 

 charge a fee of 4d. for each barrel branded, and 

 the result of this action was to justify the con- 

 tinuance of the brands, for there was practically 

 no falling off in the number of barrels of cured 



herring submitted to their officers for certification. 



6 



