Fishery Board for Scotland. 



it was. Although the herrings generally were of superior quality 

 to those taken in 1884, great difficulty was sometimes experienced 

 by the curers, when the catches were heavy, in getting them pro- inspection 

 perly assorted, which made the work of inspection for the brand on^eroil^and 

 more than usually onerous and difficult on the part of the officers, difficult. 

 During the height of the season, the requests for having herrings 

 branded were occasionally very urgent, particularly at the five prin- Demands for 

 cipal stations of Shetland, Wick, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, and ^'ge^t af fiv7 

 Aberdeen, and the Board are satisfied that their officers generally principal 

 did everything in their power to examine the herrings with as ^^^^^^q^^^^,^ 

 little delay as possible ; and further that they performed their carried oiitthe 

 various duties in connection with this important work in a way work, 

 which merits commendation. 



Table IV. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of white Particulars of 

 herrings which were branded in Scotland last year ; and of the brand- BranS 

 ings in each district. To this table there is added a note showing the 

 total number of barrels therein given, which were branded * Full,' 

 • Maties,' or ' Spent ' ; and the total amount of fees collected. 



Fraudulent Branding of Herrings. 



The legal proceedings instituted in Stettin, on the complaint Prosecution 

 of the Board, against Mr Alfred Berber, merchant there, which were ^^ettm 



1 • 1 • 1 -r-» n 1 ■ p 111 resulted in 



narrated m their last two Keports, for having rraudulently used a accused party 

 colourable imitation of the official crown brand in branding half ^^Ps : 

 barrels of cured herrings under the legal size, have now been 

 brought to a close, and have resulted in the conviction of Mr 

 Berger, who was sentenced to imprisonment. At the trial, Mr 

 Berger urged in defence that he had no intention of doing wrong statement of 

 or injuring any one, and also that the Fishery Board had no J^^p^l^gfj^^t^^^ 

 public status ; and that their brand was not a public one. The of the Court. 

 President of the court, in summing up the evidence, recognised 

 the public character of the Fishery Board, as proved by docu- 

 ments which the Board had caused to be laid before him, and 

 told the accused party that it was impossible to believe that 

 he did not know he was doing wrong in forging a brand which 

 he had no right to use, and that in doing so he had his own 

 interests in view. At the same time the court seemed to accept 

 the plea that the act was not done with intent to deceive, inas- 

 much as the herrings were genuine. Taking this view of the 

 case, the President concurred in the demand for imprisonment. 

 The object of the Board in having raised this prosecution has object of 

 thus been accomplished ; and as the proceedings were publicly ^i^g^g^f^^^"^" 

 known, they have no doubt that the conviction obtained will ^ 

 prevent the repetition of such a fraudulent proceeding, which, 

 unless it had been stopped, was calculated not only to diminish 

 the character and worth of the official crown brand, but also 

 injuriously to affect the value of the herring fishery of Scotland. 

 The Board have again to express their obligations to the Secretary Board's obiiga- 

 of State for Foreign Affairs for the assistance which he kindly gave Foreign 

 them in the matter, without which the case could not have been Secretary 



