Ixvi 



Fourth Annual Bqjort of the 



' by bis own bill of sale, and (2) a means of facilitating the 

 ' obtaining of a loan on the secnrity (of bis boat) without parting 

 ' with it altogether. I sincerely trust your Fishery Board will 



* secure provisions for the effectual registration of the owner- 

 ' sliip and of mortgages on all sea fishing boats, I have no doubt 

 ' it would be a distinct advantage to the fisheries. It would give 

 ' the fishermen a sense of security in their floating property similar 

 ' to what they have in their cottages, tend to the increase of care 

 ' and thrift, and so quicken them in their industry.' 



Another correspondent, Mr Dickson of Montrose, addressed a 

 letter to the Board on this subject, dated 13th March 1S86. He 

 alludes to the methods at p^resent in use for raising money on 

 fishing boats by leaving arrears due to the boat builders or apply- 

 ing to fishcurers for advances repayable by the latter receiving 

 usually ' to account of^ principal and interest, only the boat's 

 '"deal" or slmre of the fish caught, a most precarious mode of 



* payment. Very large sums have been advanced in this way, but 

 ' it is believed that, for various reasons, curers are becoming more 

 ' chary of making such advances, while the heavy losses recently 

 ' sustained by the curers will prevent many of them from making 

 ' the advances, however willing. Should this prevail to any extent, 

 ' it is quite evident that it will materially affect the fishing 

 ' industry, and ultimately the general public. It need scarcely 

 ' be added that the fishermen themselves would also gladly 

 ' welcome a relief from the present system, and the time appears 



* to have now come for giving fishing boats all the advantages and 

 ' privileges of the Shipping Acts, so as to enable the fishermen to 

 ' borrow on the security of their valuable boats by way of mort- 



* gage. I trust therefore that you will give this important subject 



* your early consideration and take the necessary steps to have the 



* above suggestion carried into effect By so doing, I am satisfied 

 ' you will confer a great boon on the whole fishing community. 

 ' The foregoing remarks are, of course, specially applicable to the 

 ' case of first class boats employed on the East Coast fishings, but 

 ' there appears to be no special reason why the advantages of the 

 ' Shipping Acts should not be extended to boats of the second and 

 ' third class also : and I would further commend the subject for 

 ' consideration in view of the proposed legislation for the benefit 



* of the crofter fishermen of the West Highlands. Were the 



* crofters entitled to mortgage their boats to private individuals, 

 ' banks or other lenders, the necessity for many small advances 

 ' from the Treasury would be correspondingly diminished, while, if 

 ' the advances are to be made by the Treasury at a low rate of 

 ' interest, there will be a preferable security for them, care being 

 ' also taken to have the boats and their outfit sutficiently insured.' 



Promised The Board observe that this matter, which cannot be taken up 



Legislation. ^nd dealt with too soon, has lately had attention drawn to it in the 

 House of Commons by Mr Barclay, M.P. for the county of Forfar. 

 Mr Trevelyan, when Secretary for Scotland, is reported to have stated 

 in reply ' that the matter to which the honourable member refers is 

 ' one of great moment to the interests of the fishermen, and the 

 ' Government are carefully considering whether they should not 

 ' introduce a bill to apply to the whole of Scotland constituting a 



