476 INTERNATIONAL LAWS FOR THE 



of a Government department, who is on the point of having 

 an inquiry upon "the general regulations and customs" 

 under which the industry is worked. A department might 

 be excused for wanting an inquiry into any special cir- 

 cumstances connected with an industry, but when it wants 

 information on the "general regulations and customs," it 

 shows an incredible amount of ignorance. It is a case of 

 legislating first, and inquiring afterwards as to the effects and 

 damage done. The Committee consisted of four gentlemen 

 with whose appointment the trade was well satisfied, but a 

 general opinion prevailed that the fifth, who was an official 

 of the Board of Trade, should not have been an actual 

 member, though he might have watched the evidence on 

 behalf of his department. The Committee took great pains 

 to get at the bottom of the whole system, but found a 

 difficulty in getting boys and crews to come forward and 

 speak freely, the proportion of this class who gave evidence 

 being very small. Fishermen, like sailors, do not like public 

 inquiries, and the department will never get at the bottom 

 of the whole trade in this manner ; it must have practical 

 men on its staff who can keep it informed on such 

 matters as can never be got at by public inquiry. The 

 Committee received evidence at the following places : 

 Hull, Grimsby, North Shields, Scarborough, Yarmouth, 

 Lowestoft, Ramsgate, Penzance, Brixham, and at the Board 

 of Trade. The trade, at certain ports, was prepared to 

 take the draft clauses and show their utter impracticability 

 on certain points, but in reply to questions put to the 

 Chairman, he stated that, from evidence previously taken, 

 the trade might consider the draft clauses in their present 

 form virtually abandoned. This, again, is an instance of 

 the ignorance of the department of the working of this 

 industry, though happily, owing to the indignation of the 



