68 



Enforcement 

 of law. 



CRABS. 



Gauge. 

 Soft. 



No decrease. 

 LOBSTERS. 



No decrease. 

 Gauge. 



Berried. 



Enforcement 

 of law. 



CRABS. 

 Gauge. 



Herried. 



responsibility of the law on the salesman, who is not primarily liable. 

 The fisherman has the opportunity of returning the crab to the water. Is 

 in favour of inspectors on the coast, to stop the capture of these crabs. The 

 market inspector might write to the inspector on the shore, and ask him to 

 search barrels. An unclean salmon is analogous to a white crab. It is illegal 

 for fishermen to take and for salesmen to sell unclean salmon. Thinks there is 

 nothing unjust in the law. The difPerence between crabs and salmon is that 

 the crabs are packed in a barrel, and that it is impossible to see their size. It 

 is possible to inspect a box of salmon, but it is impossible to inspect a barrel of 

 crabs. Adheres to his opinion that an inspector should be appointed on the 

 coasts to enforce the law, and thinks that such an inspector should be paid by 

 the Government. 



(Examined by Mr. Buchland.) No crabs come here from Norfolk, and 

 very few from Yorkshire. Some from Northumberland. There would be 

 no difficulty in working the law on the coast. An inspector would get in- 

 formation that small crabs were being sold on the coast, and could go down and 

 stop it. The fishermen also would possibly carry out the law among themselves. 



Robert Edward Dexter (examined by Mr. Walpole). A commission agent 

 in Birmingham, established 27 years in this town. All kinds of fish pass 

 through his hands. His crabs come from the same places as Mr. Scott's. 

 Agrees with Mr. Scott that the gauge for crabs should be no less than 5 inches. 

 Agrees also that no light crabs should be sold. 



Birmingham is a market of distribution, and supplies places 100 and 120 

 miles off. Sends bloaters down to the sea coast. The supply of crabs is not 

 falling off, and the price has not on an average risen materially. 



Sometimes gets a good supply of lobsters in the winter time. The winter 

 lobsters come from Scotland and Ireland. The Scotch lobsters are as good as 

 any. The Norway lobster is good, but not so large. The lobsters come from 

 all parts of Scotland, and are on on average much the same as formerly. 



Does not agree with Mr. Scott that no lobster should be sold under 4 inches in 

 the barrel. The lobsters here are all sold by weight. It would be an injury to 

 the trade if all lobsters under 8 inches were prohibited, as many Norway lobsters 

 are below this size. Is not acquainted with Norway. Was not aware that the 

 Norwegians were contemplating prohibiting the capture of lobsters under 8 

 inches. If the Norwegians agreed to the 8-inch gauge, an 8-inch gauge for 

 England would be beneficial to the public. Can make Is. a pound with 

 large lobsters, and only 6d. a pound with small lobsters. 



Knows a berried hen or spawn lobster. Thinks they ought not to be taken. 

 The spawn is generally given away. A spawn lobster ought to be left in the 

 sea at any time of the year. Could detect the removal of the spawn if it were 

 removed ; but could not tell whether the spawn were removed artificially or shot 

 naturally. The prohibition of the sale of spawn lobsters would stop the 

 practice to a great extent. Lobsters are brought from Norway in boxes. Does 

 not know whether a lobster in transit might not extrude her berries from inside 

 to outside. 



Thinks that the law ought to be enforced on the coasts. Does not think it 

 could be enforced in the markets. Notices should be posted up to warn the 

 fishermen. The Adulteration Act is very similar to this, and is enforced against 

 the retailer. But the general feeling in Birmingham is that the law should 

 be enforced on the coasts. This is the feeling of the Fish Association. This 

 is an association formed by salesmen, who meet together three or four times 

 a year. The Association has discussed this subject, and arrived at this conclu- 

 sion. They are all anxious to have the law enforced on the coasts. Does not 

 think it would involve any very great expense. Thinks that it ought to be 

 illegal either to take or sell any undersized crab. If Parliament make it illegal 

 to take a 5-inch crab, it must be illegal to sell it. 



(Examined by Mr. Buckland.) Thinks all berried crabs should be returned. 

 Knows a hen from a cock crab by the tail. Often receives crabs with berries 

 under the apron. Thinks berried crabs are unwholesome, and that they ought 

 not to be sold. Thinks if the law were well posted up in every village, the 

 fisherman would obey it, without the intervention of an inspector, and that 

 the fishermen would carry out the law against themselves. 



Thomas Glassey (examined by Mr. Walpole). Afishdealer and poulterer in 

 Birmingham. Wishes to point out that the salesmen are not retailers, and 



