70 BRITISH FISHERIES 



of the Legislature with fishery questions and needs, 

 that no district committees have been, or are 

 likely to be, formed in Scotland. The reason 

 for this is the great difference between the 

 fisheries of the two countries, and the satisfactory 

 manner in which the administration of the law is 

 already provided for by the Fishery Board staff. 

 Another reason which may be assigned is that 

 the expenses of these local committees would have 

 to be met by rates incident on the areas consti- 

 tuting them, whereas the expenses of the Fishery 

 Board's administration are provided out of Imperial 

 funds. '^ "I do not think," the chairman of the 

 Board told the Select Committee,^ " that Scotland 

 is ever willing to be assessed. Scotland's view 

 is that she pays too much of the Imperial taxation 

 at present for what she gets in return." 



The consideration of this legislation completes 

 our review of the growth of sea-fisheries adminis- 

 tration ; and I will take the opportunity later on 

 to indicate what lines future development will 

 probably follow. Meanwhile, its general direc- 

 tion during the latter half of the nineteenth 

 century may be very briefly summarised. The 



1 The contribution of the Treasury to the Fishery Board for 

 Scotland is of the nature of an "equivalent grant" See a speech 

 by Mr Bonar Law at the Fisheries Conference at the Board of 

 Trade, 1903. 



2 Report of the Select Committee on Sea-Msheries, 1893, Qiiestion 

 3194- 



