84 



slightly depreciated in the market ; but herrings so cured 

 would not be entitled to receive the Government " brand " 

 or mark, the regulation for this purpose requiring that the 

 fish should be cured within twenty-four hours of being 

 caught. 



The Government brand, indicating a degree of quality, 

 was first established in 1808, but nothing was charged for 

 it till 1859, when the Government imposed a fee of ^d. a 

 barrel to defray the cost of the branding establishment. 

 The amount collected from the fees exceeds the cost of 

 branding by about ^3,000 a year, and this surplus is now 

 paid to the Scotch Fishery Board for harbour improve- 

 ments and other objects to develop the fisheries. 



The policy of a Government brand has been the subject 

 of frequent contention among th^ Scotch curers. The 

 matter was fully discussed so recently before a parliamen- 

 tary Committee, of which I had the honour to be chairman, 

 that I do not propose to detain you to-day by reopening 

 the question. 



The Committee referred to reported in 1881 in favour of 

 the retention of the brand. It was contended by its oppo- 

 nents that the brand had lost its value, but the Committee 

 considered " the continental merchants would not continue 

 to demand branded herrings, and the home curer would 

 not voluntarily pay ^d. a barrel for a trade mark which 

 had ceased to be a guarantee of quality." I should mention 

 that the brand is not compulsory ; and if any of the Scotch 

 curers consider they can establish a superior trade mark 

 and some of them are of opinion that they can they are 

 at perfect liberty to do so. 



The Dutch cure most of their herrings at sea, on board 

 much larger vessels than are generally used by our fisher- 

 men, but I should regret to see the adoption of a system 



