672 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
82 The owners have bound themselves, in the event of the hunters not accepting 
this scale, to import new hunters from the east, and no schooner to engage, in 
any case, more than three of the old hunters. 
“Interesting to Sealers. 
‘On Tuesday a meeting was held by the owners and masters interested in the seal- 
ing industry of this port, the gathering having been called to deal with several mat- 
ters of vital interest to all parties concerned. Captain Warren was asked to take 
the Chair, Mr. Richard Hall, of Hall and Goepel, acting as Secretary. The outlook 
for the next season was discussed at considerable length, as was the result of the past 
one. It was the opinion of all that the price of skins this year was considerably 
above the average, and that it was highly probable that a drop in prices would take 
place next year. The reason for the increased prices for the past season’s catch was 
held to be due to the fact that the bad weather had been against a big catch, and 
that the shortage naturally made a livelier demand. 
“The question of pay for hunters and boatmen then came up, and the adoption of 
a scale per sealskin was discussed. It was admitted by the owners, many of whom 
are practical men, that the business of seal-hunting was a dangerous and arduous 
one, and one that should in all fairness be paid for in a liberal way, but, at the same 
time, the great risks in the sealiag business, together with the uncertainty of the 
markets, made the payment of an excessive rate entirely out of the question. It 
was also shown that a good hunter, one who was able to get many seals, was a 
cheaper man at better pay than was apoor one. An indifferent man occupied a boat 
and kept two boatmen at work, while the result of his season’s work might not be 
sufficient to pay interest on the capital invested. In view of these facts, the follow- 
ing scale of wages was unanimously adopted: 
1 Pay per 
Catch. Skin 
(WiprbovlOge Sse acces ance ee cee Selene aintatetsie eae eeciacesioetaie satHesc Maare Sonn eaTesoSrocsn se $1.00 
BE eR eer ciel or O aa OnE en a HOt Soe Oe nono “sane eS cnO oR eaOnns|o BE RSME Ca ciao ASOD Mana se 1.50 
OG) URE ad Secon eka Ses Gs IDR OG OCOOROeCS ADEE OU AOS EOS eDoDona sdadobostnScHe coc sosaons 2. 00 
YO RON Ge se cose Antibes panedoe semeeeoa soe sasdao se coonss Sadaccocssecspaqe 2 scbode osSocetcDs 2.50 
Grey pulps, @acheeemcesmceo = =-= ede le ia) siec(sislee ciae a iers otal wisn .o see ian eeiar ates sae isjaLeneeeeds 1. 00 
“Tt will thus be seen that the hunter who captures less than 200 only gets 1 dollar 
each, while the good shot and experienced man who gets 400 or over has 2 dol. 50 ¢. 
each. This scale has been agreed to by all the owners. 
‘* Boat pullers are to be paid 30 dollars per month, or 15 dollars per month and 25 
cents per skin taken, This will be an incentive to the boatmen to work with the 
hunter for a good catch. 
“Another matter of importance came up, and that was the employment of old 
hands. It was shown that there were not experienced hunters enough to man the 
fleet, and it has been agreed upon by the owners to limit the number of old hands 
in each vessel to three, the others to be made up of new men composed of porpoise 
hunters from the east. This plan will give each of the owners an equal change for a 
good crew. One exception only was made, and that in the case of a schooner which 
is owned almost exclusively by the hunters. In this case the rule as to limit in the 
number will not be enforced. The scale of wages will, however, be the same.” 
Every year our sealers are becoming better acquainted with seal life, both in the 
North Pacific Ocean and in Behring’s Sea, and I have endeavoured to find out from 
the most intelligent many matters on which there have been conflicting opinions. 
One of those, as to the number of females caught; and even persons in this province 
have been ready to give extravagant opinions on this subject, as to the excessive 
numbers of females taken. Now it is well known to our best and most intelligent 
sealers that a considerable proportion of cow or female seals taken are barren, quite 
barren, that is, they have not borne young for one or more seasons. This the hunt- 
ers well know from the absence of any appearance of lacteal fluid in the animal: it 
is now well known that the young seal will take to the water as soon as born, con- 
trary to the, theory advanced by Elliot. On this and many other like matters I 
endeavour to elicit all information that I think might be of service to the Govern- 
ment at any future time. 
83 Iam very happy to say that the owners and masters of our sealing fleet are 
always ready and anxious to confer with me at any time in regard to any matter 
appertaining to the sealing industry, and appear to be satisfied that the Government 
are doing everything possible to bring about an honourable settlement of this impor- 
tant question. 
Ihave, &c, : 
(Signed) A. R. MILNE, Collector of Customa, 
