Fishery Board for Scotland. Ixv 



FINANCE. 



The total amount of brand fees collected for the year ended 31st Brand Fees, 

 December 1883 was £7850, 12s. 6d., which, compared with the 

 collection for the previous year, viz. £7710, 16s. 6d., showed an 

 increase of £139, 16s. In terms of the statute 21 and 22 Vict 

 cap. 69, the entire amount is paid into Exchequer, but since the 

 report of the Herring Brand Committee of 1881, and in accordance Application of 

 with its recommendations, the surplus brand fees, after deducting Surplus, 

 the cost of collection, have been repaid to the Board in the form of 

 a Parliamentary grant for building or repairing piers and harbours, 

 and for the extension of telegraphic communication to remote fishery 

 districts. 



The estimated cost of collection, calculated on the basis recog- Cost of Coiiec- 

 nised by the Treasury in fixing the amounts to be repaid to the tlon ' 

 Board, is £4987 ; and if to this be added the proportion of 

 pensions (£329), and stationery (£99), chargeable against the 

 brand fees of 1883, it will be found that the total cost of collection 

 for that year was £5415, which, if deducted from the amount 

 received, would leave a balance in favour of the brand of £2435. 



The sum voted by Parliament for the service of the Board in Parliamentary 

 1 883-84 was £17,740, but if from this be taken the annual grant Vote - 

 of £3000 for building or repairing piers and harbours, secured 

 under 5 Geo. IV. cap. 64, and included in the Fishery Board vote, 

 the surplus brand fees admitted by the Treasury as £2400, and 

 inserted in the Parliamentary estimates for 1884-85, and the total 

 cost of collecting the fees, viz., £5415, it will be seen that the Cost ;of main- 

 actual expense of maintaining the Board and its staff of officers, tamm s BoartL 

 including the inspector of salmon Fisheries and naval superintend- 

 ents, is under £7000 per annum. This estimate is exclusive of 

 the rent, &c, of the Board's Office, public rates, audit, and super- 

 annuations, and stationery and printing, not included in above 

 statement. 



During the current year there has been considerable agitation Agitation for 

 among the fishing interests, and the different public bodies in Q^^ ed 

 Scotland, in favour of additional assistance being provided by 

 Government to enable the Board to continue the labours in which 

 it is now engaged, particularly in the direction of building and 

 improving piers and harbours, in extending telegraphic communi- 

 cation, and scientific investigations, to all of which we have already 

 adverted. We now consider it our duty again to press the matter 

 earnestly on your attention. 



As formerly reported, we had the pleasure of sending an exhibit Exhibit to 

 last year to the Great International Fisheries Exhibition, London. Exhibition, 

 That exhibit consisted of the following articles : — (1) a white London, 

 herring standard ' cran ' measure ; (2) a white herring barrel ; (3) 

 a white herring half-barrel ; (4) a set of gauging instruments ; and 

 (5) a set of crown branding irons. There was also sent a Award of 

 bound copy of the Board's Annual Eeports to Parliament for ^^ptoma. 

 the years from 1870 to 1882. We have now the satisfaction of' 



