52 



MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE 



4 March 1904] 



Mr. J. Wrench Towse. 



[Continiied. 



Lord Northhourne — continued, 

 officers to whom sufficient power is given, all 

 the fish will be stopped. It cannot be torwarded 

 by train. 



95b'. But supposing they pack a large number 

 of undersized fish in boxes and cover them up 

 with larger ones, you would have to unpack 

 every box ? — You see, at the port of landing the 

 fiish is generally sold, and the purchaser for his 

 own protection would see that he was buying a 

 good-sized fish ; and in most cases if he is not 

 satisfied he puts his hand in and he dives in the 

 box, or he even has the box turned out. There- 

 fore I do not think that any appreciable quantity 

 woidd get beyond the port. 



ChairTnan. 



957. This legislation you said just now has 

 been of long pending. Do you think the trade 

 would be willing to wait an indefinite period for 

 legislation on the subject ? — I think they are 

 etting very tired of having to wait so 



958. Even supposing this Bill were not in all 

 respects exactly what they would wish, do you 

 think they would rather have it than wait until 

 we could get an international conference to pro- 

 hibit trawling in these areas ? — They are of 

 opinion that until the English Government 

 legislates it is impossible to obtain any inter- 

 national agreement. 



959. And, therefore, we must set the example 

 — We must set the example. 



960. At this meeting which Lord Heneage 

 spoke of, was there any serious apprehension 

 lest the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 should exercise the power of making orders in a 

 manner detrimental to the fishing industry ? 

 —No. 



961. The}' were prepared to place the same 

 trust in the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 that farmers have placed in it in the administra- 

 tion of cattle diseases under the Cattle Diseases 

 Act ?— Yes. 



Duke of Abercorn. 



962. You represent a very large number of 

 associations who are interested in the sea fisheries 

 of this country ? — Yes. 



963. Are they generally or unanimously of 

 opinion that some legislation should be enacted 

 in order to stop the destruction of these under- 

 sized fish ? — They are unanimous I may say. 



Marquess of Huntly. 



964. Our experience in the Moray Firth has 

 not been very encouraging as giving a good 

 example to foreign nations. We close it to our 

 own and open it to foreign trawlers ? — That 

 is so. 



Lord Tweedmonth. 



965. But do you not also know that most of 

 these so-called foreign trawlers in the Moray 



Lord Tweedmouth — continued. 

 Firth are really British trawlers sailing under a 

 foreign fliag ? — That is not the question, is it ? 



Chairman. 



966. Might I ask you then whether, in your 

 opinion the foreign trawlers would continue to 

 fish in the Moray Firth if they had not the 

 opportunity of selling their fish in England ? — 

 Well, I do not know ; I rather doubt it. Of 

 course, at the present time they are able to sell 

 their fish in England, though not in Scotland. 



967. But I say, do you think it would be 

 worth their while to come to the Moray Firth 

 to fish if they had to take their fish back to 

 their own country ? — I doubt it very much. I 

 do not think it would. 



968. Do you not think that under the Bill 

 now before the Committee, the Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries would be able to make 

 such Orders as would prevent the sale of under- 

 sized fish brought into this country by foreign 

 vessels of any sort or kind ? — That is what I 

 apprehend. 



Lord Tweedmouth. 



969. Do you not think it would be possible 

 for Parliament to take the responsibility of 

 fixing a limit of size for these fish, to apply to 

 the whole of Great Britain ? — I think that this 

 enabling Bill would be very much better if 

 Parliament would only pass it, because if here- 

 after, as in Denmark, you find your limit is too 

 small, you would then be bound to have fresh 

 legislation ; whereas, if this Bill were passed, it 

 Avould be iu the power of the Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries to vary the size as expe- 

 rience would dictate. 



970. Do not you think it would be possible 

 to fix a maximum limit, leaving the authorities 

 here power to reduce it if they thought neces- 

 sary ? — Oh, no doubt ; but is there more chance 

 of passing such a measure in Parliament than 

 you have in the proposed Bill ? Is there not a 

 gi-eater chance of the proposed Bill passing than 

 of having a rigid limit. 



971. Nov/ you are asking me a question. But 

 to go to another point : do you not think that 

 there is likely to be some difficulty if you have 

 different-sized Hmits fixed in different parts of 

 Great Britain, as you probably would have 

 under this proposal ? — I did not apprehend that 

 there would be various sized limits fixed; I 

 anticipated there would be one size. 



972. Scotch witnesses to-day distinctly sug- 

 gested that whilst one limit would be very good 

 for Scotland on the east coast another would be 

 suitable for the west coast of Scotland and 

 another one for England ? — I am afraid that 

 that would not meet with the approval generally 

 of the trade. I do not see how it could — I think 

 it would be very unfair. 



The Witness is directed to withdraw. 



