Fishery Board for Scotland. 



xxix 



been arranged that the sum of £1000, authorised to be applied each 

 year out of the surplus brand fees towards telegraphic extension, 

 should in future be increased to £1500. The Board have at present 

 under consideration in what way this additional sum of £500 can 

 be best used towards carrying out what is so greatly desired. 



In Appendix E will be found an account of the sums paid by the 

 Board to the Postmaster-General last year, under the guarantees 

 formerly reported as having been given to him, for making the 

 above-mentioned extensions. 



LOANS TO FISHERMEN TO PUECHASE BOATS AND 



GEAR. 



By the 32nd section of the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act, Treasury to 

 1886, the Lords of the Treasury are empowered to advance to this tolBoardfo? 67 

 Board such sums as may from time to time be placed at their being lent to 

 disposal by Parliament, for the purpose of enabling them to make j^^B^sVnd 

 advances, by way of loan, to persons engaged in the prosecution of Gear, 

 the fishing industry in crofting parishes abutting upon the sea in 

 certain counties to which the Act applies. The purposes to which 

 such loans may be applied are to include the building, purchase, 

 or repair of vessels, boats, and gear for fishing purposes, and any 

 other purpose of the like nature, for the benefit or encourage- 

 ment of the fishing industry, which may be sanctioned by 

 the Board, with consent of the Secretary for Scotland. The Secretary for 

 loans are to be made upon such terms as to repayment, Scotland, with 



, » • ii • » consent of 



security, rate and payment or interest and otherwise, as the Treasury, to 

 Secretary for Scotland, with the consent of the Treasury, shall settle the 



TGrms on 



determine ; and by the 5th section of the Public Works Loans Act, w hi c h Loans 

 1886, a grant of £20,000 was made to the Board for the above j^^to be 

 purposes. Thereafter the Sea Fishing Boats (Scotland) Act, 1886, ma e ' 

 was passed, in which further provision is made for the registration 

 and mortgage of fishing boats, so that they may become a valid 

 security for loans ; and under the authority of this Act, an Order in 

 Council was issued for carrying out its provisions. It is right to 

 explain, however, that owing to the novelty and intricacy of the 

 subject, and to the number of public departments which had to be 

 consulted, considerable delay arose before the terms of this Order in 

 Council could be adjusted. Pviiles were made by the Secretary for Rules made 

 Scotland, with the consent of the Treasury, as to the terms on which accordln s 1 y- 

 the Board may make loans ; and forms of proposals, with instruc- 

 tions for filling them up, were sent to those fishermen who applied 

 for money ; and we are about to deal with the applications which Applications 

 have been lodged up to this date. These applications amount in g^/askeTfor 

 all to 188, and the total sum asked for is £22,617, 17s. 8d. 



The parishes which have been defined by the Commissioners Parishes to 

 under the Crofters' Act to be crofting parishes are situated in the Jjjj^f** 

 following counties, viz., Argyll, Inverness, Eoss and Cromarty, 

 Sutherland, Caithness, Orkney and Shetland. 



The population living on the seaboard in these counties, and 



