SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 105 
work on the new steamer, and we require a chemical 
assistant to carry on the volunteer investigations so kindly 
conducted for us in the past by Dr. Bassett. These are 
two of our greatest but by no means our only needs. 
The publication of the Report of the Government 
Committee has been followed more recently by the Blue 
Book (Cd. 4504) containing the evidence laid before the 
Committee. It is doubtful whether any useful purpose 
can be served now by discussing the Report and the 
volume of Evidence in detail. It is a question whether 
anyone can foresee yet what the ultimate result of the 
Committee's Report will be. There is, first of all, the 
natural doubt as to whether the Government will take 
any ummediate action upon the Report; and secondly 
whether, even if they dc re-organise fishery affairs, they 
will adopt the recommendations of the Committee as they 
stand or will modify the scheme proposed. Some 
modification would probably fit in best with the views of 
the Local Sea Fisheries Committees. Then there is the 
further question as to what effect the scheme outlined in 
the Report, or some modification of it, will have upon the 
rational exploitation of our National Fisheries. 
The Committee propose that a Central Fisheries 
Council, representative of the three kingdoms, should be 
established for scientific and statistical purposes. The 
Committee were divided as to whether General Fisheries 
Administration should be added to the functions of the 
Council. ‘The members of the Council, it is proposed, 
should be representative of the three National Depart- 
ments of Fisheries, and of the Treasury, under the 
directorship of a Chairman nominated by the Treasury. 
In fact, the whole complexion of the proposed Council is 
official; and HKngland, with its organised Sea Fisheries 
Committees round the coast, is treated exactly lke 
