XXX 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



Fishing more or less dependent on the sea for the means of subsistence, are 



population wretchedly poor, and there is no doubt that the measure under 



poor,° and 7 which it is now proposed to help them with public money to get 



measure larger and better boats and proper fishing gear has been framed in 



highly ma a highly benevolent spirit. The difficulty is that the people are 



benevolent not in a position to offer any security for a loan of money which 



S! 111 *' a banker would accept, aud unless the advance to be made by 



The difficulty . , . . , , . „ r \ . . ~ . , , * 



in dealing with this Board on behalf of the Government was to be regarded as 

 mten^ed™ 1 P ure ty charitable relief, it became necessary to place some restric- 

 tion of tion on the distribution. If the boat to be built or purchased by 

 Board. the borrower was to be the only available security (as in most 



cases we fear it will be), it was reasonable to ask that he and his 

 friends should provide some part of the cost ; accordingly, in the 

 Eules which your Lordship's predecessor framed with consent of 

 the Treasury, we are prohibited from lending more than three- 

 fourths of the value of the boat when it is new, and a less pro- 

 portion when the purpose is to buy gear or to buy or repair a boat 

 already built. 



It is evident, however, from the nature of the applications 

 already lodged, that a general feeling prevails that the meaning of 

 the Act was that the borrower was not expected to do anything for 

 himself, and that the Government was to set him up in business at the 

 public expense. We do not intend to give any encouragement to 

 this idea, but shall try to stimulate thrift and industry by helping 

 those only who help themselves. 



HEKKING FISHERY. 



Herring 

 Fishery 



Herrings 

 Cured in each 

 of last seven 

 years. 



The Herring Fishery of 1886 was very productive. It, however, 

 yielded less than either of the preceding two years or the year 1880. 

 The following is a statement of the total quantity of herrings cured 

 in each of the last seven years : — 



Years. 



1880, 

 1881, 

 1882, 

 1883, 

 1884, 

 1885, 

 1886, 



Barrels cured. 



1,473,6001 

 1,111,1551 

 1,282 ; 973| 

 1,269,412J 

 1,697,0771 

 1,572,952^ 

 1,312,2231 



isfeSdir . Tnese returns show that the quantity of herrings cured in 1886 

 1885. was 260,729 barrels less than in the former year, being a decrease 



of 16*5 per cent. That quantity is also under the average of the 

 preceding six years by 6*3 per cent. On the East Coast the deficiency 

 in 1886, against 1885, was 176,542f barrels, and on the West Coast 

 84,1861 barrels, making the gross reduction stated above. 

 andi886 com 5 P art i ciuars °f results of the fishing of last year, when 



pared. c ° m ' compared with those of 1885, in the herrings cured, branded, and 



