136 



state that the Government have made one good effort 

 towards the ends to which I have alluded, namely, by their 

 promotion of the Irish Fisheries and Harbour Bill, 1883. 

 Irishmen of every class and creed and shade of political 

 opinion are grateful for it, although the 2 50,000 appro- 

 priated to the improvement of Irish fishery harbours, &c., 

 by this bill, was already the property of the people of 

 Ireland. And I do hope that, in the disposition of the 

 grants and loans, under this Act, very great care will be 

 taken that piers and harbours will only be built where 

 there is the greatest necessity for them ; and that the 

 importance of the fishery, and the necessities of the 

 locality, will in each case be studied before deciding on 

 any works of importance. But there still remains even a 

 more important want, namely, encouragement for our 

 fishermen encouragement by means of help for curing- 

 houses, State-aided ownerships for fishermen, and above all, 

 State-aided technical education in those branches of craft 

 and trade connected with net-making, boat-building, and 

 the curing and preserving of fish. 



Here, then, is the solution of the wished-for success of 

 our fisheries. Encourage our young men and young 

 women in those arts and crafts which tend towards the 

 development of one of the most important, perhaps the 

 most important, branches of commerce. 



And I ask you, my lord, and those amongst you, gentle- 

 men, who are listening to me, and by whose influence these 

 ends can be approached, to help us in the good work, 

 and to ask for us that State aid which is a necessity 

 for our success. We in Ireland, who get so little, are 

 not easily disappointed ; but I hope the Government 

 will give us a pleasant surprise by helping us in our 

 fisheries and in the technical education of our fishermen 



