1 68 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



has been a hard summer for many of the fellows in the 

 fleet working for a dead horse, sending from 1000 to 

 1500 boxes of fish to market for five weeks, and then 

 not to earn 1 55. per week. The whole body were long- 

 ing for breezes, and thank God they came. Our 807 

 boxes that we have had this trip out have cleared 53. 6d. 



per box. Skipper last voyage's 1 200 boxes cleared 



him 2s. i id. per box. However bad it is for the men, 

 the company gets paid well. On the 1200, carriage, etc., 

 was 2s. 9d. per box ^165 ; then 112 expenses make 

 ^"277, and then n shares of what is left not much left 

 for the catcher. However, this applies to all the fleets, 

 and there's nothing for it but to laugh and bear it." 



On this question of remuneration for work done on 

 the North Sea banks it is important to remember that 

 in the old sailing days the system was adopted, in some 

 cases at least, of paying a regular wage. The plan was 

 not successful, and for a fairly obvious reason. Finding 

 that they were paid in any case, skippers and men, being 

 far away from land and their employers, very humanly 

 took advantage of the situation and failed to put into 

 their efforts that consistent energy which was essential 

 to achieve success. The coper and the attractions of 

 adjacent shores proved too much for the fleeters, the 

 result being that they fished when they were in the 

 mood to do so, which was not too often, and they sought 

 enjoyment when they felt disposed towards it, which was 

 frequently. The system of paying a regular wage has 

 not up to the present proved successful on the North 

 Sea, though its adoption would be welcomed by those 

 North Sea workers who, because of the share system, 

 are unprotected by the Workmen's Compensation Act. 



