454 INTERNATIONAL LAWS FOR THE 



laid down, the judging of quality is left to individual judg- 

 ment, from which there is no appeal ; and as all mortals are 

 liable to err, there can be no reason why fishery officers 

 should be exempt. 



Take, for instance, a parcel of herrings, lay down a certain 

 standard you require picked out, and set six individuals of 

 experience to pick them out, and it is highly probable that 

 no two of them will have the same idea of sorting out the 

 standard required ; the difference in quality is so small in 

 some instances that it is hard to know where to draw 

 the line. 



A very strong and common argument made use of by 

 those who desire the retention of the brand is, that it is not 

 compulsory. True, it is not compulsory, only one must ; 

 that is to say, if it is desired to carry on the business at all. 

 It is a strong coercive measure, and the very fact of the 

 majority advocating the retention, and a more extensive 

 use of the brand makes it go harder than ever with 

 those who would endeavour to raise their standard of 

 cure ; because the foreign buyer, knowing that there is a 

 Government brand, naturally supposes that it is given only 

 to the highest possible cure of the respective qualities or 

 brands, as he considers the Government would not lend 

 itself to branding inferior articles, or at least should not 

 If the brand is to be retained Government ought to raise 

 the standard by granting to special cures a higher brand 

 than is now in use ; and the argument used by the 

 opponents of the abolition, that those who do not approve 

 of the Government brand as being of too low a standard, 

 can create a higher standard and private brand of their own, 

 and thus make their own trade, is an admission that it is 

 possible to cure to a higher perfection than that which is 

 now permitted to receive the highest Government brand. 



