PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 461 



money of 40 to 50 (as a commercial bargain) from 

 the curer who engages her for the season, whereas an old 

 boat will have to engage without bounty, though, perhaps, 

 at a higher rate for the fish she may catch. But the in- 

 variable result is, that the curer finds he is better off at the 

 end of the season by having engaged a first-class boat, 

 even with a high bounty, as he then gets a good supply of 

 fish, or one as good as the average. Were a Government 

 bounty still given to the boats, the curers would find fault 

 (as the buyers of the cured herrings now do) and complain 

 that the bounty did not stimulate the fishermen to improve 

 the standard of their boats, to the loss of the curers, by 

 causing smaller takes of fish, owing to their not being able 

 to pursue them so far as they might if the boats were 

 better. It is impossible for the Government to guarantee 

 or define a fit and proper boat as well as private enterprise 

 can. The boats descend in age or size step by step, as 

 well as the nets, so that it would be impossible to draw the 

 line of discrimination, and a curer engaging a boat which 

 he had not seen, but simply on the faith of the Govern- 

 ment bounty having been granted, might find himself 

 badly served, and would memorialise for the system to be 

 abolished, as has been done in the case of the brand by 

 sufferers and others. But, as it now is, it is a free and 

 open commercial bargain, and is made on its own merits, 

 each party having only himself to blame in the event of a 

 bad speculation, and no Government to make the scape- 

 goat, as now happens with respect to the brand. 



Sufficient having been said to show that the abolition of 

 the brand is desirable, the following may be suggested 

 as a means of carrying out such abolition so as to cause 

 the least possible chance of injuring any one. That 

 three years' notice should be given of the same, so that 



