16,808. Do you know whether they pay their rent to the landlord direct, or through the fish-curer?-They pay it twice a year, at Candlemas and Martinmas, to the landlord; but they are not in the same way bound as the Shetland fishermen are. They are not in the same state of bondage.

16,809. Wherein do you think is the difference?-They are free to leave the place when they like, and they may go down to the town and fish; but they might incur the proprietor's displeasure if they were to go away and leave the place altogether if their crofts were under lease.

16,810. Are these the only cases of the kind which you know?- They are; and they are very small in extent.

16,811. Do you know any districts where it is frequently the case that a fisherman does not receive any money at all in payment for his fish, but runs an account for goods which is more than sufficient to balance the money due for the fish?-There may be a stray case of that kind, but it is not common. Where the fishermen are so negligent that they are hopelessly sunk in debt, the fish-curer, of course, tries to give them as little advance as possible, and to get them to fish as much as possible, in order that they may get out of debt; but in some cases where they make a poor fishing and have been heavily in debt he cannot give them any advance in money, but he may give them an advance in goods.

16,812. Is that a common thing in your experience?-It is not.

16,813. In what districts would you say it was most common?- Along the Caithness coast.

16,814. Can you furnish me from your books with a note of the price cod, ling, and tusk in September, for the last ten or fifteen years?-Yes. We usually buy from the Shetland fish-curers during the month of August. Between May and August we often ask quotations from them for a quantity of fish to be delivered either in Ireland or in Leith in September or October, and they usually send on the quotation in September. We have bought largely in that way during the last ten years, so that I can furnish a list of the prices.

16,815. Do you supply hooks and lines to your fishermen?-There is a little of that done to the Gairloch and west coast fishermen, because there are no places there from which they can supply themselves. We buy the materials in Glasgow, and send them on to the men, and allow them to lie at the debit of the crew's account until they are able to pay for them. The only thing we supply usually is cutch to fishermen.

.

EDINBURGH: THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1872

-MR GUTHRIE.

JAMES LEWIS, examined.

16,816. What are you?-I am a grocer and wine merchant in Canongate, Edinburgh. I have other two places of business besides that.

16,817. Have you carried on an extensive business in Edinburgh?-I have, for nearly forty years.

16,818. You have examined some samples which I sent to you, and given me a report of the values you put upon them?-Yes.

16,819. Is it a correct report?-It is.*

16,820. You examined a small parcel of oatmeal, No. 1 in the report, which you value at 1s. per 7 lbs.: how much is that per boll?-There is 140 lbs. in the boll, so that it would be exactly 20s. per boll. At the time I made the valuation that was a fair average price for it in Edinburgh.

16,821. Was it a good quality of meal?-It was not; not so good as some samples which I have frequently seen. I could not sell it in my premises, for instance.

16,822. Would it be considered inferior quality in Canongate?- Yes.

16,823. Could you not sell it at all?-Perhaps I could sell it; but I should not like to trust selling it to my customers, as they might not like to come back again.

16,824. Is it above or below the average quality of meal that is sold in country districts?-I think that in Shetland it will perhaps be about the average quality sold there, as it has likely been made from oats grown in [Page 433] that country; but it is not like meal made from oats grown in Midlothian.

16,825. Do you know that from any knowledge which you have of Shetland trade?-I don't know anything about it, further than from seeing the quality of the meal which was submitted to me; and comparing it with what could be made in Midlothian, I should say that it was inferior in quality to anything that would be sold as good meal here.

16,826. Perhaps you do not know much about the business which is carried on in country districts?-I cannot say that I have carried it on, but I know a good deal about it.

16,827. Have you examined any samples of meal from districts similar to Shetland?-I have had meal from Aberdeenshire and from Caithness.

16,828. Was this meal which you examined inferior to the average quality of Caithness meal?-It was.

16,829. Was it much inferior?-I could not exactly say that, but it was inferior.

16,830. The sample of tea, No. 2, submitted to you, you have valued at 2s. 4d. per lb.; and you state at the end of your report, that of course an allowance must be made for carriage, etc. to Shetland?-Yes. Of course, tea must be sent to Shetland; they must get it either from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or London.

16,831. Is the value of 2s. 4d., which you have put upon it, what you consider the retail price of that tea would be in Edinburgh?- Yes.

16,832. Would it be reasonable to charge a much higher price than that, in respect of the carriage to Shetland?-I think about 1s. per cwt., or from that to 2s. at the outside, would be the expense of carriage to Shetland.

16,833. That would make a very slight rise upon the price per lb.?-It would be a mere trifle; because there would be about 84 to 90 lbs. in a chest, and they could get that sent down for 1s.

16,834. Would you consider 2s. 10d. an extravagant charge for that in Shetland?-I would; because the value of 2s. 4d. which I put upon it includes the profit of the merchant here.

16,835. Would 2s. 10d. be an extravagant charge for it in Shetland, even as a credit price?-Yes; it would be so anywhere.

16,836. The tea No. 3 you also value at 2s. 4d. per lb.: is there any difference between these two teas?-So far as I could see, I think they are very like the same value. There is a little difference between the style of the two teas, but nothing to affect the actual value of them.

16,837. Could you account for one of them being sold at 81/2d. per qr. and the other at 7d. per qr. lb.?-No; unless the party may have bought the one too dear. The merchant must have his profit in any case; but if he is not a judge of what he is buying, the wholesale merchant will get a larger profit out of him than another.

16,838. Would you be surprised to be informed that these teas were sold at these different prices?-I could not be done in that way.

16,839. But you suppose the Shetland retail merchants may be done in that way?-They may be ignorant of their business, for anything I know. There are a great many small people in the country who carry on such a business as selling tea and who know very little about it.

16,840. Still you think the teas are of the same quality, although one of them was sold at 2s. 4d. and the other at 2s. 10d. per lb.?- So far as I can judge, they are of the same quality; but I could easily suppose there would be a difference of 6d. per lb. in the way I have mentioned.

16,841. From a mistake on the part of the retailer?-Yes; or from his ignorance of his business and the wholesale dealer taking advantage of that.

16,842. Might he not have purchased the No. 3 tea as a bargain, and given his customers the advantage of that?-He might have done that; but it is not likely a Shetland man would do that.

16,843. The sample No. 4 was a specimen of sugar which you value at 41/2d. per lb.: was that a fair quality of sugar?-Yes; a very fair quality of sugar at that price.

16,844. Would 6d. per lb. be an extravagant price for it?-It would be so here.

16,845. Would you consider it an extravagant price in a country district also?-I think it would be. I think 5d. would be about the value of that sugar in Shetland; it would not be more.

16,846. No. 5 is a sample of tea also which you value at 2s. 6d. per lb.?-Yes; it is better than the others.

16,847. Would 2s. 10d. per lb. be an extravagant price for it in Shetland?-I think it might sell there for 2s. 10d., or even 3s. I consider it to be a very good tea.

16,848. You value it at 2s. 6d?-Yes, here; but I think 2s. 10d. would be a fair value for it in Shetland.

16,849. You allow a greater advance upon that tea as sold in Shetland than you did upon the others?-Yes. The higher the price of the tea is, generally speaking, there is a larger profit upon it.

16,850. Do you think a merchant would be fairly entitled to take a larger profit upon No. 5 than upon No. 2?-Yes; a little.

16,851. Then 2s. 10d. would not be a very extravagant charge for it?-I don't think it.

16,852. No. 6 is a sample of sugar which you value at 41/2d. per lb.: was that of the same quality as the other sugar?-There was very little difference between them.

16,853. Would that be fairly charged at 5d. per lb.?-I think it would sell for about the same as the other.

16,854. No. 7 is a sample of tobacco which you value at 1s. per lb.?-Yes; that is the retail price. I cannot say that I am a great judge of tobacco; but that is the retail price in Edinburgh for something like the same quality.

16,855. That is 3d. per oz.: would you consider 4d. per oz. an overcharge for it in a country district?-Yes, I think it would be 1d. of an overcharge. They buy it for about 3s. 4d. per lb., and I consider that 8d. upon a pound of tobacco is a very fair profit.

16,856. No. 8 is also a sample of tobacco which you value at 4s. per lb.: was it of the same quality?-So far as I am able to judge it was.

16,857. No. 9 was a sample of tea which you value at 3s. per lb.: would 1s. 1d. per qr. lb. be too much to charge for it?-It would be too much to charge for any of the teas that were submitted to me.

16,858. Was this the best of the teas?-I thought so.

16,859. Was it considerably superior to the others?-I thought so; but 4s. 4d. would be far too much to charge for it.

16,860. No. 10 is a sample of loaf sugar which you value at 6d.: would 8d. per lb. be too much for it?-It would be too large a price to charge for it.

16,861. Even in Shetland?-I think so.

16,862. You have stated in your report that the sample of flour, No. 11, was not fit for use?-I considered so.

16,863. Do you think that arises from it having been kept too long after being got from the shop?-No, I don't think it is flour at all. It seems to be a sort of mixture that I would not like to give to a pig.

16,864. I now show you the sample No. 11 again: is that [showing] the flour you refer to?-Yes.

16,865. You don't think it is fit for use at all?-I do not; at least I don't think it would do in Edinburgh.

16,866. What is it?-My opinion is, that there is good deal of barley-meal in it, not flour at all.

16,867. Then, if that is the case, it would in your opinion be overcharged at 2d. per lb.?-Yes. That would be 14d. per peck of 7 lbs., or 46s. per bag, which is about the price of the best flour just now.

16,868. What was it in December or January last?-It was cheaper than it is now.

16,869. Then you think that 2d. per lb. would have been an absurd charge for that flour at that time?-Perfectly absurd.

[Page 434]

16,870. No. 12 is a sample of rice which you have valued at 21/2d. per lb.: was that rice of good quality?-Yes; it was of fairish quality.

16,871. Would 31/2d. be too much for it?-It would be more than could be got for it here.

16,872. Would it be extravagant to charge that price for it in an outlying country district?-I think it would. I think 3d. would be the outside that could be got for it.

16,873. Are you aware that the expense of carriage to some of these places must be pretty high?-They have direct communication to Lerwick twice a week, which, as I said before, cannot exceed 2s. per cwt., and that would be about 1/4d. per lb.

16,874. Supposing it had to be conveyed thirty miles from Lerwick, that of course would increase the expense?-Of course it would add to the expense; but I have been speaking of the direct communication between Edinburgh and Lerwick.

16,875. No. 13 is a sample of soap, which you value at 4d. per lb.: was that a good quality of soap?-It was middling; but it was in such a state from being dried up, that one could scarcely judge of it. However, I think that would be about its value.

16,876. Had it been injured by being kept?-It gets dry and hard from the moisture getting out of it. If I had seen it cut from the bar, I might have come nearer a proper judgement of it.

16,877. Do you think 6d. per lb. would be too high for it?- Decidedly; either for it or any kind of soap.

16,878. You think that even although you had seen it cut from the bar you could not have put so high a value as that upon it?-I could not.

16,879. Can you say generally with regard to the samples, that any of them were deteriorated by having been kept for some time after leaving the shop?-I do not think they had been much affected. The sugar may have changed its character a little by being dry, and also the soap; but I don't think any of the other articles could be much deteriorated in value by that.

16,880. Would you make any allowance in your estimate of their value on that account?-No; I just valued them as I saw them, according to the best of my judgement.

16,881. Do you think it would be fair to make any such allowance?-No, I don't think it would be necessary.

16,882. Is it usual to charge a higher price for such goods in country districts than in the town?-Generally it is the case that a rather higher price is charged. There is less competition in business, and there can be no doubt that in a country district you pay more for articles than in town.

16,883. But, on the other hand, rents are lower in the country than in the town?-No doubt they are; but the amount of business is usually much less.

16,884. Making full allowance for that, however, do you think that certain of the articles which have been submitted to you have been overcharged?-I think the whole of them have been. There is one thing I may mention, which is, that looking back fifty years ago they had then no direct communication between Shetland and the large towns in the country, and the merchants there were longer in being paid for what they sent south; but now they are paid within ten days of the time when they send their goods to Edinburgh or Glasgow or Newcastle, or wherever it is, and that makes a very considerable difference to these merchants.

16,885. What goods do you refer to?-Any kind of goods that the islands furnish. If the merchants send eggs, butter, bacon, or anything of that kind, to people in Edinburgh or Glasgow, they get a remittance in cash within ten days for the amount of the goods sent. Formerly that could not be the case, because they had to wait perhaps for a sailing vessel once a month, or something like that; and that makes a great difference to the people in Shetland.

16,886. Do you receive large consignments of eggs and butter from Shetland?-I get large consignments from Caithness, but not from Shetland.

16,887. But you know that the practice with Shetland is to remit back at once for that?-Yes, at once.

*Mr. Lewis's report stated the following as his valuation of the different samples submitted to him:- No. 1 Oatmeal, per 7 lbs. 0 1 0 No. 2. Tea, per lb., 0 2 4 No. 3. Tea, do., 0 2 4 No. 4. Sugar, do., 0 0 41/2 No. 5. Tea, do., 0 2 6 No. 6. Sugar, do., 0 0 41/2 No. 7. Tobacco, do., 0 4 0 No. 8. Tobacco, do., 0 4 0 No. 9. Tea, do., 0 3 0 No. 10. Loaf Sugar, do., 0 0 6 No. 11. Flour, not fit for use. No. 12. Rice, per lb., 0 0 21/2 No. 13. Soap, do., 0 0 4

The samples Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 were those purchased at Mossbank by the witness A.T. Jamieson, 7954; Nos. 5 and 6 were samples obtained by the Commissioner personally, at Messrs. Spence & Co. at Uyea Sound; No. 7 was obtained at the shop at Grutness; No. 8 from the shop of Mr. Gavin Henderson, Scousborough; and Nos. 9 to 13 were produced by the witness Charlotte Johnston, as having been purchased at the shop of Mr. Morgan Laurenson, Lochend.

Edinburgh, April 18, 1872, MAGNUS MOWAT, examined.

16,888. Are you a boat-builder in Newhaven?-I am.

16,889. Do you do a large business there in building boats for fishermen?-Yes, I do a pretty large business.

16,890. Do you know the style of boat that is built in Shetland?- Yes. I have seen one or more of them at Wick, when I was there at the herring fishing.

16,891. You mean the six-oared boat of about 21 or 22 feet keel?-Yes. I have seen one at least of those dimensions.

16,892. Do you build boats of that kind yourself?-No. Our boats are much superior to the boats there.

16,893. Can you say at what price you could build a of 22 feet keel in the style of the Shetland boat?-I could hardly say.

16,894. What do you get for a boat of that size, such as you are in the habit of building?-22, 10s. That is just for the shell of the boat, with the ironwork attached to it. The men have the masts, sails, and oars to supply on their own responsibility.

16,895. How much would the mast and ropes and other fittings cost, including the sail?-I don't know what quantity of ropes they would require, but with the yawls which are used in fishing in the Firth of Forth, it generally costs about 1, 10s. to fit them with mast and oars, and the necessary spar, without the sail. The sail, I think, would cost about 4.

16,896. You have seen a Shetland boat: have you any idea whether such a boat as is used there would cost more or less than a boat such as you have been speaking of?-The Shetland boats of the same size would not be half the value of our boats here.

16,897. Why?-Because the timber is inferior, and they are lighter. I might have 24 timbers in a side, when they would only have 10 or 12.

16,898. Are your boats built in the same style as the Shetland boats? Are they clinker-built?-Yes; but I don't suppose they use the same materials. I think it is Norwegian timber they use; and if that is so, the cost of them would be considerably less.

16,899. About how much less would it be?-I cannot calculate that exactly, because wages there are less than they are here.

16,900. What would be the difference in the cost of the timber? Would it be so much as one half?-No. Larch is about 14s. per 100 feet of planking, and the timber they use would be from 8s. to 10s.

16,901. I suppose boat-builders' wages are considerably less in Shetland and Caithness than here?-Yes; they are from 6s. to 8s. a week less, at any rate. I pay 24s. here, and I should think that 16s. would be about their figure there.

16,902. How long will one of your boats last?-From seventeen to twenty years.

16,903. Is that the ordinary calculation as to the life of a boat?-It depends a great deal upon the kind of work they are put to. In some cases they do not last so long; but if they are preserved from accident, they may last for that time.

16,904. Will a Shetland boat, such as you have seen, last its long as that?-It will not last so long, according to my judgement.

16,905. Suppose it were used only for three or four months in the summer, would it last longer than it would do if it were more used?-Certainly it would.

16,906. But you think it would not last so long in any case its seventeen or eighteen years?-No. The frame is much weaker: there are fewer ribs in it than in our boats; because, while in a Shetland boat there might be a rib every 2 or 3 feet, I might have them 10 or 12 [Page 435] inches apart, and of course the ribs are the strength of the boat.

16,907. Would twelve or fourteen years be the outside of the life of a Shetland boat?-I would suppose that would be about as long as they could run them with safety.

16,908. About how much do you think it takes to keep up a boat of that size?-1s. a day during the time she is at work would keep her up amply.

16,909. Suppose she were at work for 100 days in the year, that would be 5. Do you mean to say that for every year a boat is at work she will require 5 for repairs to keep her up?-The Newhaven fishermen allow that for their 25 feet yawls. A sail is not supposed to last above five years, or not more than three years without repairs; and then they have the chance of breaking oars, or any other accident that may occur. The allowance of 1s. a day may be it little too much to cover all that; but there is an eighth share allowed for the repairs of a boat in the case of the large decked boats.

16,910. Are these the new boats which you have now got at Newhaven?-No, they are the boats which were built in Caithness nine or ten years ago. There is an eighth or a ninth share allowed to the owner to keep them up.

16,911. Is that a ninth share of the fish taken?-Yes, or of the money; but these Caithness boats are much dearer in price and of better value than the Shetland boats.

16,912. From whom do you generally take your orders for building boats? Is it from the fishermen or from the curers?-From the fishermen altogether. I built one for Westray, in Orkney, last year, and I also built a little one that went to Stromness.

16,913. Were these open boats or half-decked?-They were small boats of about 18 feet keel. The one that went to Westray, I built her for 14, because she was so light.

16,914. Do you think that 20 would be about the cost of one of the Shetland six-oared boats ready for sea?-I would think they were not too dear at that, if the sail and everything was provided.

16,915. Do you know anything about the practice of hiring boats to fishermen on any part of the coast?-Yes. I was twelve years at the herring fishing at Wick, and I knew about it there.

16,916. But the boats you had there were of a different class?- Yes, they were far better boats than the Shetland boats. I had a boat myself that cost me 94.

16,917. Are you able to say what would be a fair hire to charge for one of the Shetland six-oared boats?-No; it depends altogether on the material of which the boat is made. If I had seen the boat, I could at once have given an opinion.

16,918. Suppose a fisherman was hiring one of the boats such as you have seen for a season, that is, for about 31/2 months in summer, what would be a fair rate of hire to pay, supposing the boat had cost 20?-The boat would require about one half of a man's share, whatever was the income, unless they made a bargain for so many pounds for the three months, or the two months, or whatever period was fixed.

16,919. Would 2, 10s. be an extravagant hire for that period?-I don't think it would.

Edinburgh, April 18, 1872, DONALD DAVIDSON, examined.

16,920. What are you?-I am a fish-curer in Burntisland.

16,921 Were you for a long time in the employment of Mr. Methuen?-Yes.

16,922. Have you again gone into his employment?-Yes.

16,923. Are you acquainted with the system of agreements between the fish-merchants and fishermen throughout all the Scotch fishings, both on the east and west coast?-Yes; I have had a good deal of experience of them.

16,924. Had you anything to do with Mr. Methuen's fishing transactions in Shetland?-Not particularly. I occasionally sent stock there when ordered, such as empty barrels and salt to supply the stations.

16,925. How long is it since these stations were given up?-About two years ago, I think.

16,926. Do you refer to the stations in the Sandwick district?- Yes.

16,927. Had Mr. Methuen any shop there?-No.

16,928. Do you know how the fishermen there got their supplies during the fishing season?-I understand that a party who held the land where the fishermen resided agreed for the boats with the proprietor, and paid the proprietor at the end of the season, and then the proprietor settled with the men. If they required any goods during the fishing season, I think they got a line from the proprietor to go to the shops in Lerwick or Scalloway for them.

16,929. But I thought it was Mr. Methuen who agreed the boats?- I think that most of the boats that he had were agreed in that way.

16,930. Had he an agent in Shetland?-Yes. The men who fished for him belonged to a certain district, and the proprietor of that district had a control over the boats, and it was him who arranged with Mr. Methuen.

16,931. Do you know whether Mr. Methuen's agent there was in the habit of giving lines to the fishermen to enable them to get supplies from the shops in Lerwick?-I am not aware of that.

16,932. I thought that was what you said?-No; it was the proprietor of the land in the district where Mr. Methuen had the fishing station that gave the lines to the fishermen.

16,933. Was that Mr. Bruce of Sandlodge?-Yes.

16,934. Were Mr. Methuen's arrangements to get these boats to deliver their fish to him all made with the proprietor?-Yes.

16,935. Then he had no direct agreement with the fishermen?-I understand not.

16,936. Have you any personal knowledge about that?-The information I received was from the men who had charge there for Mr. Methuen.

16,937. Are any of these men now in Edinburgh?-I don't think they are.

16,938. Do you know whether Mr. Methuen was in the habit of making payments to the fishermen during the fishing season, or whether all his payments to the fishermen were made at the end of the season?-I understand that if any advance was given to the men, it was given through the proprietor, Mr. Bruce.

16,939. What is the nature of the contract entered into with the men employed in the cod and ling fishing in Lewis and the western islands?-The boats are agreed at a certain time, sometimes in March, to commence to fish about 20th May, and they get so much per cran and so much of bounty.

16,940. Have you made such contracts yourself, both on your own and on Mr. Methuen's account?-Yes; but principally for Mr. Methuen.

16,941. Do the men receive the bounty at the commencement, or before the commencement of the season?-The way in which it is done is this: the fish-curer and the fishermen make the contract in March, and then the men generally get the bounty a fortnight or a month after the time of agreeing, or at all events they generally get it before they commence to fish.

16,942. What is the purpose of giving the bounty?-I suppose there is no particular reason for it. I understand some curers like to give it in order to procure the best boats, and to be an inducement to the men to contract with them.

16,943. Is the price per cran invariably fixed before the beginning of the season?-If the boats are agreed, as they generally are on the Moray Firth-

16,944. But I am speaking of the Lewis fishery alone. You mentioned about a price per cran, which I suppose applies only to the herring fishing, while I was asking you about the cod and ling fishing?-I don't know [Page 436] much about the arrangements with the cod and ling fishermen; but I understand they get it certain amount per cwt. or per dozen of fish.

16,945. I thought you said you had made arrangements with the Lewis and West Highland fishermen?-Not for the cod and ling fishing. I have made arrangements with them for the herring fishing; but I understand the bargains are made on the same principle.

16,946. Have you made bargains for the herring fishing at the Lewis?-Yes. I have agreed boats at the Lewis for Mr. Methuen.

16,947. Were these boats belonging to the Lewis, and were the fishermen living there?-Yes; both the fishermen and the boats belonged to the Lewis.

16,948. In that case, when did the settlement take place?-I was there two seasons, and I settled with them generally at the end of the season-in the end of June.

16,949. Did the men get advances before the end of the season to any extent?-Yes; they generally got pretty large advances.

16,950. In what form were these advances given?-In some cases they got them in nets and ropes and bark, and sometimes in cash too.

16,951. Do you supply them with the nets and bark, and other things they require?-Yes; that is the general practice in Stornoway.

16,952. Do they also get supplies of food and meal before the end of the season?-Yes; sometimes.

16,953. Where do they get them?-It is generally from the curers that they get their supplies of nets and ropes, so on.

16,954. But Mr. Methuen has not a shop in Stornoway?-No; but he generally supplies the fishermen there with these things if they cannot get them otherwise. He does not prohibit them from getting them from the native merchants; but he usually keeps a supply for any one who may require them.

16,955. Does he supply any meal at all?-None that I am aware of.

16,956. But what I asked you was, whether the men required supplies of meal during the fishing season, if you know where they get them?-I suppose they get them from the native merchants.

16,957. Do you know whether the curers have to make such supplies or to guarantee such supplies in the Lewis?-Yes. I understand they give the men a line or a letter stating that they will be responsible for the price.

16,958. Have you had to do that in your own experience?-No; but I am aware that it is done at Wick, and I think at Stornoway too.

16,959. Do you know of any cases at Stornoway in which it had to be done?-No.

16,960. Are the fishermen in the Lewis very much indebted to the curers?-They are.

16,961. Is that chiefly for nets and boats?-Yes. In some cases the fish-curers give them boats, and perhaps nets too, and when they don't make it good fishing they get into debt in that way.

16,962. Have you had any experience at all of the cod and ling fishery?-No.

16,963. Have you not had any management of the fisheries in Fife or on the east coast of Scotland?-I have been at Fraserburgh and Rosehearty, but that was principally in connection with the herring fishing.

16,964. Are you not acquainted with the cod and ling fishing on the cast coast of Fife?-No; but I understand that in Fife the fish are sold each day. The supply regulates the demand; and the men are not generally agreed at all.

16,965. Would there, in your opinion, be any difficulty in settling for the fish as they are delivered, in the western islands and in Shetland?-No. Perhaps it might take a little time to bring about the proper arrangements; but I think it would work better if such a system were adopted.

16,966. Would it work better in the Wick herring fishery too?-I see no reason why it should not.

16,967. Would it be more convenient for the curers?-They would not make such large profits, I would suppose.

16,968. Why would the system of paying for the fish as they are delivered lessen the curers' profit?-My experience, on the east coast at least, has been, that the free boats are much more independent than the others. The men seem to have a better class of boats, and better material generally, when they can get their money daily or weekly or monthly, as they may call for it. These men can get their money daily if they wish it.

16,969. I thought these free boats were settled with at the end of the season, just like the others: is not that so?-Not generally. They don't have a regular place for delivering their fish. They may deliver them at one place today, and at another place next day, and when they fish in that way they generally collect their money daily; but at some places, such as North Sunderland, where the Fisherrow boats fish, they sometimes do not take the whole amount until the end of the season, except the small amount they get in supplies.

16,970. Do you say that at some places the free boats are paid just as they deliver their fish?-Yes.

16,971. Where is that?-At Burntisland, for instance. When boats come up from Anstruther or Buckhaven, they deliver their fish, and we pay them on delivery, the same day.

16,972. Are these fish for curing, or for the fresh market?-For both.

16,973. Does that lead to any difficulty?-None whatever. I have had about twenty-eight years' experience of that system of paying daily.

16,974. I suppose it saves you keeping accounts with the fishermen?-We keep an account of the fish we have received, but we have no running accounts with the men.

16,975. What kind of fish do you refer to as being delivered in that way at Burntisland?-Principally herrings.

16,976. Do you take delivery of cod and haddocks in that way too?-No; it is very seldom that boats come up in that way with them. When they do, they sell them to the inhabitants and get cash for them.

16,977. Have you had any management of the fisheries at Anstruther?-Yes; I was two winters there, during the time of the winter fishing, buying herrings, and we paid in the same way as we do at Burntisland-just when the fishermen liked to call for their money, which was generally weekly. Some boats were paid daily, but others did not come asking for the money until the end of the week.

16,978. The quantity of fish delivered was marked down in the fish-book each time?-Yes.

16,979. So that you knew exactly how much the men had to get?- Yes. The price was extended in the book.

16,980. Had the price been fixed at the beginning of the season?- No. The price was fixed daily, according to the market, the supply regulating the demand. That is the system at Burntisland, and at Anstruther, Pittenweem, and St. Monance.

16,981. Are the fishermen at these places in a prosperous condition under that system?-I think so.

16,982. Has there been a material change in their circumstances within your recollection?-Yes; a very great change. The boats and material have been very much improved.

16,983. Were the men at one time considerably in debt?-I don't know if they were much in debt, but they did not have the same class of boats, nor so good material, such as nets, and the like of that. Their boats are much better now than they used to be.

16,984. Do the boats there belong to the men themselves?-Yes.

16,985. Do you know whether many of the men in that district are now in debt to the curers or merchants?-A few of them may be but they are not so generally.

16,986. Was there formerly a system there of settling at longer intervals?-Yes. I think that generally they did not make a final settlement with the local curers until the end of the season; but there have been so many strangers going there within the last few years, that it seems to have been adopted as a rule to [Page 437] pay daily, or when the fishermen like to call for the money, which is at least once a week.

16,987. I suppose the railway has made a difference in that respect?-Yes; it has made a great change in the value of the fish.

16,988. Is the cod and haddock fishery prosecuted to great extent at Anstruther and Pittenweem?-It is.

16,989. Is it prosecuted chiefly for the fresh market?-Yes, principally.

16,990. Is it carried on with the same boats which are used in the herring fishing?-No. I think they are generally a larger class of boats-decked boats-that are used for that fishing. A number of the fishermen go in the same boats which they use in the herring fishing, but some of them have a class of boats in which they go out to sea for two or three days, and these are decked and very comfortable.

16,991. Do you buy any of these fish for curing?-Not generally; but Mr. Methuen does at Anstruther and the other stations there. He keeps an establishment at Anstruther.

16,992. Does he cure herrings only, or also cod and haddocks?- He buys cod and ling, and sends them away fresh, I think, and he buys a good number of haddocks and smokes them. Haddocks are what he buys principally there.

16,993. How are these settled for?-I am not quite sure, but I think it is once a week.

16,994. There is no yearly settlement?-No.

16,995. Do you know any reason why a settlement once a week or at delivery should not be made in districts like Shetland or the Lewis, which you know better?-No. I think the fishermen prefer to get their money once a week, and the curers now like it as well too. They find less trouble with that system, and the fishermen are more independent and do not require advances as they did before.

16,996. Do you think that system of frequent payments has enabled the fishermen to do without advances to the same extent as they required them formerly?-I think so.

16,997. Would there be any practical difficulty in settling in that way in remote and thinly inhabited districts, such as Shetland and the Lewis, where the stations may be a long way from towns?- There would be a difficulty, to a certain extent. One great difficulty would be in getting cash daily, but they might perhaps get it weekly. I think, in the western islands, perhaps once a week might be adopted as a very good plan, if it could be managed, and they could arrange to get their money from Stornoway.

16,998. The man might get an order to receive the money due to him for his fish at the principal countinghouse of the merchant?- Yes. The general system adopted with Mr. Methuen's boats, and those of the other curers belonging to Wick, is, that they generally agree so many boats belonging to the Lewis, and so many belonging to Caithness, and they return to the Wick fishing after leaving the Lewis; then at the end of the Wick fishing they are settled with for both fishings.

16,999. Have you been in the habit of supplying boats to fishermen?-When I was at Stornoway for Mr. Methuen, I generally supplied them with nets and bark, and they got boats in some cases too.

17,000. What kind of boats were these?-They got the Caithness boats; but that is not so much the practice now. The fishermen seem to get them from the boat-builders now, and make their own arrangements for them.

17,001. Have you seen any of the Shetland boats?-Yes, I have seen them at Wick. I think they generally have four oars.

17,002. Have you seen any of the six-oared boats?-Yes. I think there are two or three classes of them. They have a small boat, then a four-oared boat, and then the larger six-oared boat.

17,003. But they depend most on the six-oared boats now: have you any knowledge of the cost of such boats?-There are very few of the Shetland boats that come to Wick; but I have seen some of the Orkney boats there, which I believe are very similar, and I think a boat of that kind, with masts, sails, and oars complete, would cost about 50.

17,004. Were these boats half-decked?-There was no deck on them when I saw them. They were all open.

17,005. What was the size of them?-I would suppose about 24 feet keel.

17,006. However, you don't know much about the Shetland boats?-No; it is the Orkney boats that I have seen coming to Wick.

17,007. Do you purchase salt for curing your fish?-It is generally supplied from Liverpool.

17,008. What is the usual price that is paid for salt for curing?-It varies in price. Last year I think it would be about 12s. per ton in Liverpool.

17,009. Have you been able to get salt in Liverpool for curing as low as 7s. per ton?-No. I have never bought it, but I have an idea about what it costs. It is generally from 9s. to 11s.; I never heard of it being under 9s.

17,010. How do you take it up to the north?-By sailing vessels.

17,011. What is the freight?-We have paid 9s., and as low as 7s. 6d.; but about 8s. is the general thing to Burntisland. It is brought from Liverpool round by the north of Scotland and up the Firth.

17,012. Do you think 10s. would be about the freight to Shetland?-I would suppose so; but we generally get the freights cheaper to Burntisland than they would be there, as it is going to a loading port. Perhaps about 12s. would be a fair freight to Lerwick, because the vessel has to come away in ballast again.

17,013. What allowance would you make for wastage, if you were calculating the cost of curing?-About 21/2 per cent. is the usual thing; if there is more waste than that, then we charge the captain.

17,014. Have you ever made any estimate of the cost of curing a ton of cod or ling?-No; but I would suppose that in Shetland it would cost about 1 per ton to split them and cure them and dry them. There is a great deal of work connected with it.

Edinburgh, April 18, 1872, CATHERINE BROWN, examined.

17,015. Have you been a knitter of Shetland goods for a long time?-Yes, for about fifteen years.

17,016. Did you live in Lerwick at one time?-Yes.

17,017. Were you employed to knit a shawl for the Princess of Wales?-Yes; a cloth or burnous.

17,018. Have you an appointment as knitter to Her Royal Highness?-Yes.

17,019. I believe some of your shawls obtained high prizes at the London Exhibition of 1870?-Yes.

17,020. Are you now going to begin business in Edinburgh?-I think so.

17,021. Have your knitted for Mr. Robert Sinclair?-I have sold to him. I have always been in the habit of knitting with my own wool and selling my goods.

17,022. Have you never knitted with the merchants' wool at all?- No.

17,023. Have you seen Mr. Sinclair within the last ten days?-Yes.

17,024. Are you aware that he and some other merchants in Shetland desired that you should be examined before this Commission?-I know that he wished me to be examined.

17,025. I have been asked by Mr. Sinclair to put certain questions to you on the subject of your dealings with him. Do you know whether, as a usual thing, the merchants in Lerwick pay higher or lower prices for hosiery articles than you could get from private individuals?-They pay lower prices.

17,026. Is that taking the price in goods?-I never sold for goods, always for money.

17,027. Did you never do that from the very first?-I was in the habit of selling to private individuals then.

17,028. Did you never sell for goods at all?-When I wished goods, I exchanged my articles for them; but I got money whenever I wanted it.

17,029. How did you succeed in obtaining cash for [Page 438] your hosiery whenever you wished?-The merchants always came to me and asked for the goods. I did not go to them.

17,030. But you were not always such a good knitter as you are now. Did you not go through any apprenticeship?-Not with the merchants.

17,031. Was the merchants' money price for the goods lower than the money price which you got from private individuals?-Yes. I always gave it to them a little lower, perhaps 1s. or 2s. or 3s. less on a shawl, than I asked from a private individual.

17,032. Did you sell your shawls for a lower price to the merchants in Lerwick than you sell them for to the merchants in Edinburgh?-No. I sell them at the same price to the merchants in Lerwick as to the merchants in Edinburgh.

17,033. Have you ever sold a shawl to a merchant in Edinburgh?- Yes.

17,034. Have you not got more for it from him than you would have got from a merchant in Lerwick?-That was some years ago.

17,035. Was Mr. White the merchant in Edinburgh to whom you sold?-Yes.

17,036. Do you know whether knitters in Lerwick, who depend entirely on knitting for their living, are able to get money for their work?-I do not know about any person but myself.

17,037. Did you ever hear of lines or goods being sold by knitters which they had got for their hosiery?-No, not lines. I have heard of them selling their goods, but I could not say whether it was true or not. I have not heard of that often.

17,038. When a merchant buys a fine shawl or a neck-tie or a lot of veils from a knitter, do you know whether he sells them in the south for a larger price than he pays?-I don't know anything about that.

17,039. Have you ever bought shawls or veils in Edinburgh?-No.

17,040. Or priced them?-No.

17,041. Are the prices of goods in the Lerwick shops generally higher or lower than the prices you pay here for such goods, for instance, as cottons or petticoats-I am a stranger here, and I have not bought anything yet, except a piece of velvet, and I paid the same price for it here as I would have done in Lerwick.

Edinburgh, April 18, 1872, CHARLES FLEMING, examined.

17,042. What are you?-I am a draper to trade, and I am the buyer in that department for Messrs. M'Laren, Son, & Co., High Street, Edinburgh.

17,043. Is that a wholesale as well as a retail house?-Yes.

17,044. How many years' experience have you had in the business?-Eighteen years. I have been two years in my present position as buyer.

17,045. I suppose you are one of the largest buyers in that line in Scotland?-I believe we are, for the retail trade; but we are wholesale as well.

17,046. Do you buy for the wholesale trade, or only for the retail?-I buy for both.

17,047. I show you a piece of half-bleached cotton: what is the usual price of that as an article of retail trade?-It depends upon the width. There are a number of different widths, but the usual widths made are 29, 32, and 36 inches. It is also made 40 inches and wider, but these are not usually sold.

17,048. Can you tell from the sample what the width has been?- No.

17,049. What would be the proper retail price for the 29 inch width?-I should say 21/2d.

17,050. Would that be the fair price in a country district?-I think it would be a very fair price.

17,051. Would it not be legitimate to charge a somewhat higher rate in a remote district of the Highlands?-I think not, for an article such as this. That would be the outside stretch that it would be worth at the present time for 29 inches.

17,052. Is there anything narrower than that?-I am not aware of anything. That is the trade term for them; but I don't know that they exactly measure the width which is named.

17,053. Would you be surprised to be asked 41/2d. a yard for that?-I think it would be very much out of the way.

17,054. What would be a fair price for it if it were 32 inches wide?-About 31/4d. a yard; and about 33/4d. for 36 inches.

17,055. In all these valuations, are you assuming that the article is sold in a country district, and not in a large city establishment where there is a rapid turnover and great competition?-Yes. I think that usually very little difference is made on that class of stuff, wherever it is sold.

17,056. Is it a very common sort of article?-It is the most common thing of the kind that is made. It is generally used for an inter-lining for different parts of ladies' dress, being put between two other materials.

17,057. What would it be used for by working people in the country?-It might be used for lining dress skirts, or such as that.

17,058. I show you another piece of half-bleached cotton: is that also made of different widths?-Yes. The value of that, at 29 inches, would be 4d. a yard; at 32 inches, 51/4d.; and at 36 inches, 61/2d. It is made also in greater widths, but not usually sold, unless for some special purpose.

17,059. Of what greater width is it made?-It is made in 40 inches, and 48 and 54.

17,060. Would the price rise in proportion to the widths in the same ratio as in the three widths you have already mentioned?- Yes.

17,061. But 36 inches is the widest that is commonly sold?-Yes.

17,062. Is that used by fishermen for making oil-cloth?-It may be used for that purpose.

17,063. If used in that way, what width would most likely be selected?-36 inches would be the best width for cutting out. It is the most usual width made in this class of stuff for almost any purpose. Although I am terming it 36 inches, it may measure less, perhaps 341/2 or 35 inches; and the same proportion with the other widths.

17,064. For 36 inches wide, would 8d. a yard be too high a price for that cotton?-I think it would be very dear at 8d. a yard, even at the present price of cotton.

17,065. Was the price in January higher or lower?-It was lower in January than now. There has been an advance of about 5 per cent. on cotton goods since then, and there has been a difference of 10 per cent. since October last. Cotton goods were very steady all last season until then.

17,066. I show you a piece of shirting: what value do you put upon that in the same way?-It is usually made in two widths, 32 and 36 inches. Those, of course, are the same as calicoes; they don't measure exactly what the makers term them, but they are known as these widths. The 32 inches is the width principally used, and this class of stuff is about 63/4d. at the present time. I daresay had it been bought a couple of months ago it would have been 61/2d. In the other width it would be about 1d. more.

17,067. Would 1s. a yard be a high price for that?-It would be a very exorbitant price, in my judgement.

17,068. Would it be so in any part of the kingdom?-It would be so in any part of the world, I should say, either in or out of the kingdom. It would be a very extraordinary price to charge.

17,069. Is there no greater width than 36 inches?-Not in this class of stuff, of this make. This is Glasgow-made stripe, and they don't make them wider than 36. There is a Kirkcaldy stripe too, but it is different class from this altogether.

17,070. Is that stuff used for making shirts for men?-That is what it is principally used for. Country people also use it for what they term short-gowns and children's dresses, and different things of that kind; but its principal use is for working-men's shirts.

[Page 439]

INDEX.

ABERNETHY, Archibald (analysis of his evidence, p. 301), is a shopkeeper at Whiteness in Tingwall, 12,251; deals in eggs, butter, groceries, and soft goods, 12,252, 12,253; generally pays in goods, but gives money often for eggs, 12,254; buys fish green, and cures, 12,257; men prefer to have price of fish fixed at end of season, 12,259.

ADIE, Thomas Mountford (analysis of his evidence, p. 138), fish merchant at Voe (Olnafirth), 5593; as a rule, fishermen are engaged to deliver all their fish, and take the current price at the end of season, 5596; has once or twice made contracts to buy fish at fixed price from men, and found that they were discontented if afterwards the price of fish rose, and he was obliged to pay more than he had agreed, 5598-5601; thinks the price, if fixed at beginning of year, would be lower than they generally get at present, 5604; under it no advances could be made to men, 5608; buying of boats, 5609-5624; 3d. per cwt. more paid at Voe for fish to men having their own boats, 5610-5612; most men have an account at store, 5633; discount for cash payments, 5636; fishing lines, 5640-5646; bad debts are no advantage to merchant, 5655; men are now in great fear lest any change be made, 5657; smuggled fish, 5663; bucht lines, 5664-5666; men not compelled to take goods from store, 5679; fish the merchants' only security, 5685, 5686; price of meal, 5697-5700; curers have a very small profit on fish, 5704; Faroe fishing, 5726; hosiery, 5741; is always paid for in goods, 5742; there is no profit on it, 5743; does not think knitters would take a less price in cash, 5749; beach boys, 5751; tacksman has no profit on rents, 5767.

ADIE, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 210), son and partner of T. M. Adie (p. 138), 8640; there is an arrangement that when an indebted fisherman goes to another employer he is bound to pay the debt incurred to a former employer, 8641; cost of curing, 8660. (recalled, p. 213). Gives further evidence as to the cost of curing fish, 8750.

ADVANCES of cash during season, 815, 1177, 5030, 8587, 9390, 9544, 9600, 9868, 10,249, 10,631, 10,940, 11,172, 11,977, 12,589, 13,162, 13,322, 13,882, 14,782, 15,574, 15,911. for boats and boat hires, etc., 3623, 3839, 5206, 5357, 5609, 6507, 6724, 7208, 9092, 9856, 10,139, 10,572, 11,879, 12,295, 12,957, 13,270, 13,396, 14,109, 14,933, 15,053, 15,095, 16,794, 16,890, 16,999.

AITKEN, Thomas (analysis of his evidence, p. 119), fisherman, Eastshore, Dunrossness, 4801; and tenant of house, 4802; is bound by writing to fish for landlord, 4803; thinks freedom in fishing would be an advantage, 4806; could get meal cheaper than at store, 4835; wages fixed by landlord, 4853-4855; must work for landlord because there is no one else to work for, 4855.

ALLOWANCES to indebted men, 12,641, 13,162, 13,179, 13,967.

ANDERSON, Andrew (analysis of his evidence, p. 166), fisherman at Hillyar, 6866; fishes for Mr. Laurence Smith, 6868; previously fished for a number of other dealers, 6869; changed employer frequently, because he got in debt and could not get supplies, 6875, 6876.

ANDERSON, Arthur (analysis of his evidence, p. 224), fisherman at Burravoe, 9271; formerly tenant and fisherman at Lunna, 9272; was bound to fish for tacksman, 9275; fishes now for Mr. Adie, 9284; deals generally with him, 9286; makes no complaint as to prices, 9299.

ANDERSON, David (analysis of his evidence, p. 316), fisherman and tenant in Skerries, 12,772, 12,773; bound to fish, 12,774; sells farm produce to curer, 12,778; has no wish for a change, 12,781; dealers' prices too high, 12,785.

ANDERSON, John (analysis of his evidence, p. 158), merchant and fish-curer at Hillswick, 6498; tacksman of estate of Ollaberry, 6499; men engaged for fishing paid current price at end of season, 6503; men having their own boats and being free from debt paid 6d. per cwt. extra for fish, 6507; ling fishing, 6523; does not think long settlements cause debt, 6537; does not think the fixing of a price at the beginning of season would be an advantage to the men, 6543; men under no obligation to deal at store, 6554; men smuggle a good deal, 6564; buys cattle and farm produce, 6583; generally pays for them in cash, 6585; beach boys, 6602; and curers paid at end of season, 6605; kelp, 6628-6640; paid either in cash or goods, 6631; hosiery, 6641; generally paid in goods, 6642, 6643; there is no profit on it, 6645; people generally ask goods, but this may be because they understand it is the custom to pay in kind, 6656; there would be no advantage in a cash system, 6671-6674; home-spun tweed usually paid in cash, 6681-6688; tea often taken by knitters, 6696; never knew goods exchanged for cash, 6697; lines, 6700; generally brought back by original holder, 6701; there is no impediment to the opening of other shops, 6707; is agent for Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, 6711; in the case of men losing a boat, would not stop the compensation money to pay shop account, but if they were indebted for the boat he would stop it, 6717-6722; boat-building, 6724; thinks a great boon to Shetland would be the introduction of a land bill, as at present a tenant improving his farm is liable to be ejected or have his rent raised at any moment, 6749; proprietors are unwilling to give leases, 6751.

ANDERSON, John (recalled, p. 189). There is an agreement amongst merchants, to protect them from attempts on the part of men to escape payment of debts, that they shall not engage the men without seeing that their debts are paid, 7776; dissents from evidence of Rev. Mr. Sutherland (p. 179), 7796; and thinks the people may be favourably compared with their equals in other places for frugality, foresight, and moral virtues, 7797-7800; it is not possible to introduce a more extensive system of winter fishing, 7804.

ANDERSON, Laurence (analysis of his evidence, p. 168), fisherman at Hillswick, 6977; lives with his father, 6978; fishes for Laurence Smith, 6979; settles yearly, 6980; deals at his shop, 6981; has pass-book, 6994; was a beach boy, 6999; when indebted, considered himself bound to fish for dealer, 7010-7014; but his supplies being stopped, went to another dealer, 7026.

ANDERSON, Mrs. Margery Manson or (analysis of her evidence, p. 32), lives in Lerwick, 1648; knits with her own wool, 1649; previously for dealer, with his wool, 1650; paid in goods, 1652; could not get money, 1656; goods not worth the price put on them, 1658; had pass-book, 1664-1670; sells now for goods and a little money to dealer, 1674; would prefer to be paid in money, 1675; gets lines, 1679.

ANDERSON, Robert (analysis of his evidence, p. 67), shopman to Robert Linklater, 3058; refers to evidence of Margaret Tulloch (p. 29) and Mrs. Thomas Anderson (p. 32); work was refused them because of their slowness in executing it, 3059; lines not given, 3070, 3071; system of dealing, 3060-3076; does not sell wool, 3087; there is very often no profit on hosiery, 3088-3097; but on the whole there is a small profit, 3149; goods are charged higher because of the present system, 3176, 3177; Shetland wool is not sold, 3179.

ANDERSON, Thomas (analysis of his evidence, p. 254), fishes for Spence & Co., Haroldswick, 10,500; runs an account with them, 10,501; formerly paid cash, 10,504; gets the same quality of goods now, but pays more, 10,507; monthly payments might be advantageous in good years, 10,512.

ARCUS, Mrs. Ann (analysis of her evidence, p. 33), living in Lerwick, 1729; a dresser of shawls, 1729; sometimes knits, 1731; dresses shawls for dealers and workers, 1738; occasionally disposes of shawls for workers, 1746; generally paid in goods, 1754; thinks country girls do not require money, but knit to [Page 440] clothes, 1754, 1755; can always get money herself, 1759; but does not know if others can, 1761, 1777; and gets lines, 1764; has no pass-book, 1791; in summer sells sometimes to visitors, 1804, 1805; gets money in full, 1806, 1807; and prefers it, 1808-1810; if paid in money, thinks so high a price would not be given, as merchants have a profit on goods, and so can allow more when they pay in kind, 1825; yet knitters prefer this, 1826; thinks the workers should be grateful to the dealers, who have entirely created a trade and found a mart for their goods throughout the country, 1831.

BEACH Boys, hiring of, etc., 4367, 5000, 5070, 5086, 5101, 5241, 5751, 5907, 6602, 6999, 7533, 8792, 10,108, 10,283, 10,345, 12,295, 12,437, 12,808, 13,353, 14,086, 15,102.

BLANCE, Andrew (analysis of his evidence, p. 221), fisherman at Burravoe, also engaged in seal and whale fishing, 9136; tenant of land under Mr. M'Queen, 9137; system of engagements and settlements in whale fishing, 9147-9221; half-pay tickets, 9154.

BLANCE, Gilbert (analysis of his evidence, p. 137), fisherman at Midgarth, 5542; tenant under trustees, 5543; under no obligation to fish, 5544; deals at the stores of merchants for whom he fishes, 5547; when men are in debt they seldom get cash, 5552; considers himself under obligation to fish when indebted, 5554; has no pass-book, 5574; smuggling of fish, 5577-5592.

BLANCE, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 149), fisherman at Ollaberry, 6008; and tenant, 6009; fishes for landlord, 6011; but is not bound, 6012; has been free for six years, 6013; goes to Faroe fishing; does not know whether if he went to home fishing he would be bound, 6026; believes that men generally are, 6028: deals principally with merchant, 6057; always had advances of money when he wishes, 6076; being indebted to merchant, considers himself bound to fish for him, 6092, 6093; fishing lines and bait, 6103; knitters, 6136; paid generally in goods, 6138-6147; does not know whether money could be got, 6147-6150; ejectment, 6155; never knew of ejectment for refusal to fish, 6160; eggs, 6161-6166; freedom in sale of, 6181, 6182.

BLANCH, Peter (analysis of his evidence, p. 206), fisherman and farmer near Brae, 8510; skipper in Faroe fishing, 8516; for Mr. Adie, 8517; settlement generally yearly, 8518; men generally take their supplies from merchant, 8519; never knew of men bound to fish, 8528; thinks the present system favours the masters, as they can fix the price of fish as they choose, and men do not know what they are earning till the end of the season, 8531; Englishmen fishing for Shetland curers have price fixed at the beginning of season, 8539, 8541; the system of credit causes men to incur debt, 8564; thinks it would be a good plan for a certain part of the price of fish to be paid on delivery, and the rest at settlement according to current price, 8567; at home fishing thinks a man, unless indebted, is not bound to fish for merchant, 8575; in selling Shetland cloth always got cash if asked, 8576. (recalled). Gives evidence as to the cost of curing fish, 8713; men have to supply their own lines and fishing apparatus in Faroe smacks—thinks the owner should, 8715.

BOATS and Boat Hires, purchase of and advances for ( Advances, etc.).

BOLT, Mrs. Barbara (analysis of her evidence, p. 38), lives in Lerwick, 1940; knits with her own wool and sells to dealer, 1941; has no pass-book, 1942; is paid in goods, 1947; gets money when she wishes, 1951; sometimes gets lines, 1955; can get wool for goods or lines, 1955-1965.

BOLT, Mrs. Wilhelmina (analysis of her evidence, p. 38), corroborates Mrs. Barbara Bolt (p. 38), 1969-1971; got money and goods as she wished from merchants for hosiery, 1972.

BORTHWICK, Catherine (analysis of her evidence, p. 32), lives in Lerwick, and knits, 1608; for dealers, 1610; has no pass-book, 1611, 1612; is paid in goods, 1616; price is fixed by dealer, 1617; seldom gets money, 1620-1623; sometimes has to sell goods to obtain money, 1627; prefers to knit for money, 1630.

BROWN, Catherine (analysis of her evidence, p. 437), has knitted Shetland goods for about fifteen years, 17,015; and has appointment as knitter to H.R.H the Princess of Wales, 17,018; always sold hosiery in Lerwick for money, 17,026; and sold at a price slightly lower, 17,031; has heard of women selling goods to get money, 17,037.

BROWN, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 131), tenant under Mr. Bruce of Sumburgh, and fishes for him, 5284; corroborates evidence of William Goudie (p. 105), 5285; in consequence of a report of him selling some fish to another merchant, 5287; his house was put up to let by Mr. Bruce, 5288; on proving to Mr. Bruce that the report was false he was allowed to remain, 5294; meal dearer at store than at Lerwick, 5300.

BROWN, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 193), has a small shop, 7957; at Brough in North Delting, 7958; deals in groceries, 7959; never is forbidden to do so, 7962; deals for cash, 7964; fishes, and buys small fish from other men, 7964; cures fish, 7968; does not think there is any restriction placed on the sale of any fish by men, 7975; kelp, 7986; meal, 7999; thinks a ready money system would be an advantage to all

BRUCE, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 186), schoolmaster and inspector of poor, 7628; pauperism has neither increased nor diminished in his experience, 7631; gives an account of management of paupers, 7629-7656.

BRUCE, John, jun. (analysis of his evidence, p. 329), son of Mr. Bruce, Sumburgh, 13,292 tacksman of property at Dunrossness. Gives in paper stating that tenants on property managed by him are free to go to sea, to the Greenland or Faroe fishings, and to pursue any land occupation; but remaining at home fishing, are expected to deliver their fish to him, payment at full market value being rendered. This is a condition of holding their farms, and is beneficial to them, as they must fish for some merchant; he gives as good a price as any other, and besides has the most convenient stations for delivery of fish. Keeps store for the convenience of men, but not expected to deal there against their wishes. Prior to 1860 men fished as they pleased, and generally were unable to pay their rents. The people are now in a much better state. Goods at store are of the best quality, and not unreasonably priced, 13,293.

BRUCE, John James (analysis of his evidence, p. 74), shopman to Mr. Sinclair, 3308; there is no profit on hosiery, 3312-3342; lines are generally brought back by original owner, 3345; never knew an instance of lines being sold or transferred, 3350; but has heard that such things are done, 3355; under cash system workers would actually get less value for their work, 3402; but there would be the advantage of having money for provisions, 3409; and it might cause knitters to work more carefully, and then there would be a regular market, 3412. -(recalled, p. 77). Gives evidence as to lines, 3445.

BURGESS, John (analysis of his evidence, p. 126), fisherman and tenant at Hillwill, 5097; corroborates James Flawes (p. 121) and others, 5098; beach boys, 5101; wages not paid until settlement, 5103; are bound to serve, 5105; men are free to deal anywhere, 5114; has no pass-book, 5117.

CATTLE, disposal of, etc., 942, 1295, 4751, 5352, 6583, 7228, 8130, 8849, 8870, 8944, 9127, 9489, 9686, 10,018, 10,071, 12,241, 12,346, 12,727, 12,758, 13,241. -Marking and selling, 5278, 7235, 7600, 8135, 9690.

CHARACTER of Shetland people, 3623, 5981, 7797, 9382, 12,148, 13,807, 14,743, 14,757.

CHRISTIE, Thomas (analysis of his evidence, p. 22), fisherman and tenant at Burra, 1063; corroborates Walter Williamson (p.15) and Peter Smith (p. 20), 1064; to fish and cure for themselves would be advantageous to men, 1074; knitters, 1077; are invariably paid in goods, 1078; wool supplied by dealer, 1084; and price fixed by him, 1091.

CLOTH made by women, sale of, 6681, 8163, 8254, 8309, 8488, 8576.

CLUNAS, Margaret (analysis of her evidence, p. 78), lives at Unst, 3456; knits, 3451; for merchant, 3452, 3453; and sometimes used her own wool, 3455; is paid in goods, 3458; money not given, 3459; sometimes spins wool, and believes she could get cash for the worsted, 3486, 3494.

COD Fishing (home), 12,236, 12,468.

COLVIN, Gavin (analysis of his evidence, p. 28), fisherman in Levenwick, 1382; corroborates John Leask (p. 25), 1392; goods at Mouat's store very inferior, 1394; all produce was required to be delivered up, 1397; can now get money if he requires it, 1405; price of fish should be fixed beforehand, 1409.

CONDITION of people, 3623, 5235, 7470, 9709, 10,544.

COTTON at store, 9815, 9847, 10,511, 13,200, 13,408, 16,656, 17,047.

COUTTS, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 386), a provision merchant in Lerwick for eleven years, 15,261; previously bought in soft goods, 15,263; but gave it up as it caused him a great deal of trouble, 15,264; and [Page 441] he sometimes had stolen goods brought to him, etc., 15,266.

COUTTS, James (recalled, p. 387). Produces book showing his transactions in brokery line, 15,332; paid for these goods in cash, and people spent it frequently afterwards in his shop, 15,334; has taken goods from knitters which they had got for hosiery, 15,336.

COUTTS, Mary (analysis of her evidence, p. 284), lives in Scalloway, 11,585; she and her sister support themselves, father, and aunt, by knitting, 11,587; knits with merchant's wool, 11,589; is paid in tea and goods, 11,590; cannot get money, 11,591; except the merest trifle, 11,593-11,596; barters tea for meal and potatoes, 11,601.

COWIE, Dr. Robert (analysis of his evidence, p. 369), medical practitioner in Lerwick, 14,692; is a native of Lerwick, 14,693; has always lived there except when south for his education, 14,694; a system of barter is almost universal, 14,696; knitters are paid in goods to an extent that is unwholesome for themselves and the community, 14,698; there is an utter disproportion in the food and dress of knitters, who are often clothed in a gaudy, showy manner, while almost starving, 14,699; dress that they wear, also, is unsuited to the climate, 14,701; this is owing chiefly to the system of truck, 14,703; there is no pawnbroker's shop in Shetland, 14,708; some old women who make a livelihood by hawking goods for knitters from house to house, 14,709; believes immorality prevails to a considerable extent in Shetland, but cannot say certainly, 14,711; does not think professional prostitution is greater in Lerwick than other seaport towns, 14,712; but believes that occasional prostitution prevails to a greater extent, 14,713; this may be accounted for by the system of barter, as knitters have insufficient food and plenty of handsome clothes, 14,715; statistics show that illegitimacy is less in Shetland than in many parts of Scotland, but believes that for several reasons the Registrar-General's returns are not to be depended on, 14,717- 14,721; the system has also evil effects on the physical systems of knitters, 14,773; and leads them to be very extravagant in dress, 14,725; it also causes them to use tea to an extent that is injurious to their health, 14,726; oatmeal, fish, and potatoes, the principal diet of a fisherman's family, 14,729; under the system of fishing, men do not know whether they are in debt or not, 14,731; and this causes them to be deficient in independence, and raises a deceitful, time-serving disposition, and cripples enterprise, 14,739; people are intelligent and pretty well-bred, but they want proper ambition, and have no desire of improving their condition, 14,743; this is caused by the system of barter, by the short leases of land, and the want of encouragement to make improvements, 14,744; houses in Shetland are very bad, 14,745; people are sober and steady, 14,757; thinks the system of long credit injurious to all concerned, 14,759.

CURER'S profit, 3623, 4990, 5704, (small) 9698.

CURING, Cost of, 8551, 8660, 8713, 8750, 8999, 9698, 10,109, 10,276, 10,344, 11,291, 11,422, 13,573, 15,240, 15,766, 15,962, 16,474, 17,007.

DALGLEISH, David (analysis of his evidence, p. 295), partner of Nicholson & Co., Scalloway, 12,021; corroborates Mr. Charles Nicholson (p. 293), 12,023.

DALZELL, Mrs. Barbara (analysis of her evidence, p. 388), lives in Scalloway Road, Lerwick, 15,359; has knitted with her own and merchant's wool, 15,360; mostly with her own, 15,361; is paid in money and goods, 15,362; often entirely in money, 15,363; knitters are generally paid in goods only, 15,364; money only given for very fine articles, 15,865; best Shetland wool is very difficult to procure, 15,397.

DAVIDSON, Donald (analysis of his evidence, p. 435), fish-curer in Burntisland, 16,920; for a long time in Mr. Methuen's employment, 16,921; his stations in Shetland given up two years since, 16,925; Mr. Methuen agreed with Mr. Bruce for the delivery of the fish, 16,934; and not directly with the men, 16,935; thinks a system of cash payments could be introduced and worked in Shetland, 16,965.

DEBTS, Transfer of, from one merchant to another, 7365, 7751, 7776, 8127, 8373, 8641, 9074, 9940,10,034,10,499, 10,977, 13,001, 14,137, 14,558, 16,010, 16,299, 16,566.

DEPOSITS in bank and hoarding, 3735, 4785, 10,709, 13,055, 13,726, 15,090, 15,223, 16,330, 16,513.

EDMONSTONE, David (analysis of his evidence, p. 258), factor on Buness estate, and a farmer, 10,624; formerly a fish-merchant, 10,625; was the writer of letter (Q. 44,511) in Edinburgh evidence, 10,626; retains opinions stated therein, 10,627; thinks cash advances during season should be compulsory, 10,631, fishing and farming must be combined in Shetland, owing to the unproductiveness of the winter fishing, 10,633; small boats best for winter fishery, 10,634; fish-curers arrange payment of rents, 10,640; people are beginning to see the wisdom of making improvements, 10,670; thinks the diet of people much better than that of the same class in England and Scotland, 10,672; meal, fish, potatoes, bread, and biscuits principal articles of diet, 10,679.

EGGS, Disposal of, etc., 949, 1297, 6161, 6483, 6853, 7074, 7448, 7538, 8870, 8878, 8967, 9908, 10,169, 11,435, 11,853, 12,038, 12,048, 12,218, 12,252, 12,295, 12,346, 12,695, 12,836, 12,928, 13,015, 13,043, 14,023.

EUNSON, Mrs. Ann (analysis of her evidence, p. 77), lives in Lerwick, 3415; knits for dealer, 3418; paid in goods, and got money when she required, 3421; sometimes sold shawls to travelling merchants for money, 3430; sometimes got advances of money from dealer even when there was not a balance in her favour, 3444.

EUNSON, Charles (analysis of his evidence, p. 125), fisherman and tenant at Waterbru, 5056; corroborates James Flawes (p. 121) and George Goudie (p. 124), 5058, 5059; liberty money, 5060. 5061; beach boys, 5070, 5071.

EVICTION, 577,585, 722, 790, 900, 1012, 1327, 2994, 3025, 3625, 3659, 3755, 4274, 4385, 4486, 4510, 4727, 4777, 4935, 4956, 5069, 5288, 5314, 5320, 6155, 8910, 9227, 9238, 9423, 9636, 10,162, 12,323, 12,625, 12,693, 13,433, 14,816, 16,437.

EXTER, Janet (analysis of her evidence, p. 102), knitter in Satter, 4093; knits for Mr. Linklater, 4094; with his wool, 4095; no lines or pass-book, 4099; could not get money, 4102; is poorly paid, 4101; in goods, 4102; would prefer money, if even a little less, 4103; knits now for Mr. Sinclair, and gets part payment in cash, 4111; formerly exchanged goods for meal, 4112.

FAIR ISLE, 4729, 4739, 5770, 13,056, 13,233, 13,326, p. 330, f.n.

FAMILY supplied by dealer in men's absence (Faroe fishing), 1172, 117S, 1188, 2955, 11,058.

FARM Produce, Disposal of, etc., 939, 949, 1294, 1300, 4673, 6383, 8870, 9873, 10,079, 10,169, 10,605, 12,778, 13,089, 13,814. -Restrictions on sale of, 5271, 12,689.

FAROE Fishing, Statements as to, 876, 923, 1157, 1172, 1178, 1183, 1214, 2929, 5726, 6900, 7860, 8515, 9371, 10,912, 11,268, 11,718, 12,011, 12,211, 12,262, 12,267, 12,295, 12,407, 13,557, 13,603, 13,625, 14,080, 15,107, 15,211, 15,227, 15,706, 16,310, 16,428, 16,490.

FEAR of landlord and merchant, 572, 9670, 12,334, 13,421, 13,472.

FINES, 1044, 3755, 3623, 3917, 4483, 4534, 4751, 9241, 12,695, 12,698.

FLAUS, Mrs. Helen (analysis of her evidence, p. 38), lives in Lerwick; dresses shawls for knitters, 1973; and knits, 1973; confirms Mrs. Arcus (p. 33), 1974; sells for knitters to merchants, and gets lines, 1985; or sees it marked in a book, 1986; can always get money if she wishes it, but cannot say if it is the custom to give it, 1998; believes that if hosiery were paid in money, a less price would be given, 2004, 2012.

FLAWES, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 121), fisherman and tenant at Rennesta, near Quendale, 4910; bound to fish, 4911; on pain of expulsion, 4914; current price of fish fixed by four leading merchants, 4919; other merchants vary, and sometimes give more, 4923-4931; knows cases of men being threatened for fishing to other merchants, 4935-4947; liberty money, 4948; men not obliged to deal at store, 4971; goods dearer there, 4978; thinks the price given for fish is not sufficiently high, 4988; boys are bound to act as beach boys, 5000, 5001.

FLEMING, Charles (analysis of his evidence, p. 438), draper and buyer for Messrs. Maclaren, Son, & Co., High Street, Edinburgh, 17,042; has had eighteen years' experience—two as a buyer, 17,044; gives evidence as to value of samples of cotton shown him, 17,047, 17,070.

FLOUR, Price of, etc., 9069, 9899, 11,847, 14,966, 15,043, 16,862.

FORDYCE, Mrs. John Winwick or (analysis of her evidence, p. 407), lives in Chromate Lane, Lerwick, 16,038; knits with her own wool, 16,040; gets goods or money as she requires, 16,065; but the custom is to pay in goods, 16,066.

FRASER, Rev. James (analysis of his evidence, p. 194), a clergyman at Sullem for twenty-four years, 8007; is well acquainted with the people, 8008; and the systems of payment and credit purchases practised, 8009; thinks the effect of these on the people is not very good, 8010; the large amount of bad debts in [Page 442] merchant's books cause him to charge higher prices, 8011, 8012; the credit system is an annoyance to the merchant, 8016; and injurious to the independence of the people, 8022; does not think fishing and farming could be separated, 8029; payment of hosiery in cash would be no advantage, as a rule, to the knitters, 8035; goods given in exchange for hosiery dearer, 8040; thinks a system of agricultural improvements would be the best thing for Shetland, as men would then be able to supply their own meal, and be more independent of curer, 8052; a system of leaseholding necessary, 8067; price for fish fixed at the beginning of season would not be an advantage to men, 8071; cannot see any advantage in periodical advances during season, 8074; in letter sent afterwards to Commissioner, insists again strongly on agricultural improvements as the most necessary thing in Shetland, p. 197.

GARRIOCH, James (analysis of his evidence, p. 213), shopkeeper to Hay & Co. in Fetlar, 8762; price of meal, 8766; men are not bound to fish, 8781; beach boys, 8792; whisky, 8833; kelp, 8838; paid either in cash or goods, 8845; purchases cattle, 8849; pays in cash, 8850.

GARRIOCK, Lawrence (analysis of his evidence, p. 335), is a fisherman at Scatness, 13,454; lives on the property of Mr. Bruce of Simbister; fishes for Hay & Co., but is not bound, 13,455; deals sometimes at store, 13,457; and runs an account, 13,461; paid balance in cash at settlement, 13,462; is satisfied with price and quality of the goods, 13,465; has no passbook, 13,470; men are afraid to give evidence before commissioner because of curers, 13,472; they are afraid of being ejected, 13,474; landlord takes one-third of oil of whales captured by men, 13,478; thinks this unfair, 13,479; landlord demands it, under threat of raising their rents, 13,482.

GARRIOCK, Lewis F. U. (analysis of his evidence, p. 302), partner of Garriock & Co., general merchants and fish-curers at Reawick, 12,293; gives in a written statement, 12,295, stating that the firm's general store is Reawick, and they have besides two smaller shops: Messrs. Garriock last season cured the fish from ten smacks at Faroe, etc., and five smaller ones at Orkney and home fishing, to the gross value of 4600; there is no obligation on men to deal at store; in bad seasons merchants lose heavily by bad debts; merchants would greatly prefer a cash system, with payment on delivery, but such a system would lead to fixed wages; men curing their own fish are free in selling. It is the exception, and not the rule, for men to be indebted; never knew liberty money paid, 12,307; tenants are never interfered with in sale of hosiery, cattle, or farm produce, 12,346; nor bound to deal at store, 12,347; Burra men generally go to the Faroe fishing, 12,362; not to avoid the restrictions laid on the ling fishing, 12,365; they are bound by their leases to deliver fish to Messrs. Hay, 12,367; Messrs. Garriock, at one time issued a circular at Foula, stating that they wished to ascertain the views of the people as to whether they wished to cure their own fish, stating at the same time that if they did, Messrs. Garriock's store would be discontinued, 12,380; the men unanimously stated they did not wish such conditions, 12,381; men prefer to bring their fish to the principal merchant, because he can command the largest market, and therefore give the best price, 12,400; young men going to the Faroe fishing require to have their outfit on credit, 12,407; in the Faroe fishing the men and masters are actually joint-adventurers, only the merchant takes all the risk, 12,418, 12,419; in home cod fishing the men are settled with in the same manner as the Faroe fishermen, 12,468, 12,472; the winter fishing could not be much increased, 12,478; long-line fishing from the bank would be impracticable in winter, 12,490; Greenland fishing, 12,506; was formerly a nursery for the merchant service, but now young men do not go, as the Board of Trade regulations prevent them from getting outfit on credit, 12,511, 12,512; large advances are made in bad season to men, 12,547; men usually continue to fish until their debt is paid off, 12,549; the system of fishing on shares is the best, 12,608; believes men would refuse to adopt weekly payments, 12,610.

GARRIOCK, Peter (analysis of his evidence, p. 385), agent in Lerwick, 15,209; sells fishing materials, 15,210; is engaged only in the Faroe fishing, 15,211; men deal with certain other merchants for goods which be guarantees, 15,212; and the amount of their account is deducted at settlement, 15,214; occasionally receives a commission, 15,215; many men are not in a position to require advances, but all take them, 15,223; in the Faroe trade, merchants often have to give the men a price as high or even higher than they themselves get, 15,227.

GARRIOCK, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 411), lives in Sandsting parish, 16,216; serves in Naval Reserve in Lerwick, 16,217; was bred a seaman, 16,218; has principally gone to Greenland and Davis Straits, 16,219; has shipped from various agents, 16,222; always got his outfit from agent with whom he served, 16,224; and supplies for his family, 16,225; always got cash if he asked for it, 16,229; at settlement agent sometimes attends at the Custom-house to receive payment of his account, and at other times the men go down to his shop, and settle it after they have been paid, 16,239; never knew an agent refuse to give money, 16,243; men may buy their outfits where they please, 16,270; has bought his from a dealer other than the one he engaged with, 16,272; an impression exists that indebted men have the best chance of being engaged—cannot say if it is true, 16,280, 16,281; at the end of one year he had a balance against him—he sailed next year under another merchant, and found that the account had been transferred to the new agent's books, 16,299.

GATHERER, John (analysis of his evidence, p. 391), is collector of customs at Lerwick; strongly condemns the truck system, 15,866; before 1867 wages of men from Greenland fishery were seldom paid at the Customhouse, 15,871; and in almost every case the men ran large accounts, 15,872; this system he believes was actually illegal, 15,881; and was only carried on because the agents desired a profit on the men's supplies, 15,885; since 1867 men have received full payment in cash at the Custom-house, 15,892; but there is much delay in payment, 15,893; does not believe this arises so much from the men's reluctance (15,894), as the agent's unwillingness to have a settlement, 15,896; though the regulations are outwardly observed, the agents still continue to have a virtual security for their accounts, and agents admit that their main inducement to accept the agency is the profit to be got on supplies to the men, 15,898; thinks young men could get their outfits without the help of the agents, 15,910; as any merchant would give a seaman credit if he knew the agent did not enjoy a monopoly of giving supplies, 15,914.

GAUNSON, George (analysis of his evidence, p. 215), fisherman in Fetlar and tenant of land, 8861; does not know if men in Fetlar are at liberty to fish—gets a good price from Messrs. Hay, and never inquired, 8862; generally has a balance in his favour at the end of the season, 8869; always got money or goods as he wanted, 8869; sells farm produce and cattle as he pleases, 8872, 8874; goods at store are good and reasonable, 8887; does not think men are bound to fish, 8894; hosiery, 8896.

GEORGESON, George (analysis of his evidence, p. 295), merchant at Bayhall in the parish of Walls, 12,026; for twenty-seven years, 12,027; principally deals with fishermen and farmers for ready money, 12,028; no men are bound to fish for him—he supplies his fishers with goods, and settles yearly, 12,029; does not do much barter, 12,037; eggs looked on as money, 12,038; never pays for hosiery in cash, 12,039; there is no profit, and sometimes a loss on it, 12,041; men commonly cure their own fish, 12,056; and sell them as they choose, 12,057; but are expected to take them to proprietor, 12,058; could not get men to fish for him, because they considered themselves tied to landlord, 12,080; in ling fishing the price was, thirty years since, fixed at the beginning of the season, but the practice died out, 12,090; at that time men were all free, 12,091; thinks the price of green fish should be fixed at the beginning of season, 12,104; it is an understanding amongst men that they shall buy their goods where they sell their fish, 12,112; men curing for themselves are more to be relied on as customers at his shop, and are more persevering, 12,135; people in Shetland are very temperate, 12,148.

GEORGESON, Ross (analysis of his evidence, p. 412), is skipper of a Faroe smack, lives in Scalloway, 16,310; has gone to Faroe fishing for 15 or 16 years, 16,312; lately in the employment of Mr. Leask, 16,311; has always had an account with Mr. Leask when in his smacks, 16,314; gets the balance that is due in cash, 16,321; and advances throughout year, 16,322; would get payment in cash in full if he wished it, 16,328; banks his money with Mr. Leask, 16,330; never knew of men not taking goods from agent, 16,340.

GIFFORD, Francis (analysis of his evidence, p. 391), seaman in Bressay, 15,488; goes to sealing and whaling, 15,489; under various agents, 15,490; is now paid at the Custom-house, 15,491; previously settled with agent at his shop, 15,492; got balance sometimes in cash, 15,500; has his account read [Page 443] over to him now before going to the Custom-house, and on leaving pays it, 15,515, 15,516; thinks agents like to re-engage men who are indebted to them, 15,222.

GIFFORD, Mrs. Margaret Smith or (analysis of her evidence, p. 410), lives in Lerwick, 16,203; knits haps, 16,204; for Mr. Sinclair, 16,205; sold the last for 6s. in goods, 16,209; in buying articles occasionally for cash, has found no difference in prices, 16,214.

GIFFORD, Thomas (analysis of his evidence, p. 197), is factor on the estate of Busta, 8077; the largest in Shetland, 8078; very few tenants have leases, 8083; they are free to fish, 8084; there is no opposition to the opening of shops, 8097; knows of no arrangement by which merchants become bound for the debts of men on hiring them, 8126; but there was one formerly, 8127; sales of cattle, 8130-8134; marking and selling of cattle for debt, 8135; not common, but is practised, 8136; believes short settlements would be beneficial to the character of the people, 8147; but does not think they would be practicable, 8149; the payment of hosiery in goods is a bad system, 8156.

GILBERTSON, Gilbert (analysis of his evidence, p. 230), fisherman and tenant at Harra, Mid Yell, 9553; is free to fish, 9555; generally deals with merchant for whom he fishes, 9557; in some cases payment at an earlier time in the season would be an advantage, 9569; never knew fish-curer refuse money for payment of rent, 9572; thinks weekly payment would be an advantage, as they would keep men from incurring debt, and enable them to go to the best market, 9579; goods are dearer at merchant's store, 9583.

GILBERTSON, Henry (analysis of his evidence, p. 111), is a fisherman at Dunrossness, 4497; corroborates Wm. Goudie (p. 105), 4502; although a lodger with his brother-in-law, is bound to fish for landlord, 4508; because his brother-in-law would be warned if he did not, 4509; if at liberty he could make a larger profit, 4516, 4517; prices at the store are higher, 4542. -(recalled, p. 117). Was at Fair Isle three weeks previously, 4729; and heard great complaints there of the high prices charged at the store, 4734.

GILBERTSON, Henry (analysis of his evidence, p. 333), sailor and post-office keeper at Virkie, near Sumburgh, 13,403; men in neighbourhood are bound to fish for tacksmen, and most of them deal at store, 13,404; they are not compelled, unless by want of cash, 13,405; has purchased goods at store, 13,407; quality variable, prices higher than at other places, 13,408; men are afraid to give evidence before commissioner, 13,421; their principal complaints are that the settlement is made too late in the season, and that they have not liberty, 13,425; men 43 years ago were bound to fish, and the fish were so badly managed that they only got about 3s. 11d. per cwt. for them—men were then freed on payment of 15s. per head of liberty money, 13,430; in 1860 men were again bound, 13,431.

GOODLAD, Alexander (analysis of his evidence, p. 414), is a seaman in Lerwick, 16,389; requires to deal with sealing and whaling agent, as his half-pay notes are not sufficient to maintain his family, and no one but the agent will give him credit, 16,390; has endeavoured to obtain credit from other dealers, 16,394; and has generally been refused, 16,395; and told that he should take his goods from the agent from whom he got his ship, 16,405; men generally deal with agent if they think his goods are cheap and good; but if not, they take advances and buy elsewhere, 16,413; looks over his account with merchant before going to the Custom-house for payment, and settles on coming back, 16,417, 16,418.

GOODLAD, Gilbert (analysis of his evidence, p. 24), fisherman in Burra, and tenant, 1179; corroborates previous witnesses, 1181, 1182; goes to Faroe fishing, 1183; his family is supplied by his agent in his absence, 1188; but cannot easily get money, 1191; knitting, 1201; paid in goods, 1202; knitters cannot get money, 1202-1204; the people are so poor that merchants have complete power over them, 1206; Faroe fishing system, 1214-1217.

GOUDIE, George (analysis of his evidence, p. 124), fisherman and tenant at Garth, 5032; corroborates James Flawes (p.121), 5034; meal, 5044; is dearer at store than elsewhere, 5045; tobacco also dearer, 5053.

GOUDIE, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 105), fisherman at Toab, 4255; obliged to fish for landlord, 4256; never knew of fines being imposed, 4274; no obligation as to any produce other than fish, 4279, 4280; price is fixed at settlement, 4283; is not bound to deal with merchant, but is compelled by the present system, 4298, 4299; the quality of store articles is good, but they are dear, 4313- 4317; price of meal, 4316-4332; never had a pass-book, 4337; under the present system men have an advantage in bad seasons, 4363; boys are obliged to act as beach boys, 4367-4369; whales driven ashore by men, 4405; complains that a third of the oil is appropriated by the landlord, 4406; thinks the men should have liberty and leases of their lands, 4413, 4414; and that it would benefit men to let them cure for themselves, 4424.

GRAY, Charles (analysis of his evidence, p. 253), mason at Bailiasta, 10,412; worked formerly in chromate of iron quarries, 10,413; wages paid in cash, 10,419; has heard of men getting lines, 10,424; does not know what for, 10,426-10,428.

GRAY, Robert (analysis of his evidence, p. 262), is a fisherman to Mr. Sandison, 10,751; at Snarravoe, 10,752; but for his assistance, would have been starved in two bad seasons, 10,753; gets cash when he asks it, but cannot ask much, as he is indebted, 10,763, 10,764.

GREEN, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 145), is a boat-skipper, 5845; fishes at Stenness, 5846; delivers fish to dealer, 5847; corroborates the evidence of Mr. Adie (p. 138), 5850, 5851; does not think a shorter settlement would be an advantage, 5853; deals at merchant's store, 5856; goods not dearer than at other shops, 5862-5864.

GREIG, Clementina (analysis of her evidence, p. 283), lives at Braehead, Scalloway, with her sister, 11,527; has supported herself by knitting for a very long time, 11,529; never got any money for hosiery, except in sales to visitors, 11,531; always uses her own wool, 11,532; merchants pay insufficient prices, 11,533; even in a great emergency could not get money from merchant, 11,535; merchant will only sell worsted for money, 11,545; has offered to take a lower price for hosiery in money, but could not get it, 11,555; women occasionally exchange goods for provisions, 11,559.

GREIG, David (analysis of his evidence, p. 170), is manager for Hay & Co. at North Roe, 7100; fishermen hold their land on the understanding that they fish for dealer, 7111; tenants fishing for other curers not punished, 7119; never knew a man leave employment because of being indebted, 7167; kelp, 7176-7179; purchase of boats, 7208-7211; winter fishing, 7212-7227; cattle, 7228; marking of cattle for debt, 7235-7238; sales of cattle, 7248; are conducted on perfectly fair principles, 7253-7255; increase of paupers, 7272.

GRIERSON, Andrew John (analysis of his evidence, p. 379), is proprietor of the estate of Quendale, 15,048; and fish-curer for eleven years, 15,049; Mr. Ogilvy Jamieson keeps his shop at Quendale for supply of fishermen and neighbours, 15,050; hires no boats—men have their own, 15,053; tenants in Sandsting are perfectly free, so long as they pay their rents, 15,060; men at Quendale hold their ground under obligation to fish, 15,061; they are satisfied, 15,062; thinks that it is beneficial for tenants if the landlord is a good business man, 15,064; rents would be raised if men were not bound to deliver their fish, 15,065; men salting their own fish would turn out a useless and inferior article, and would still depend for supplies and for a market upon the merchant, and it would only encourage a system of dishonesty, 15,068; men having liberty are generally more deeply in debt than others, 15,071; a ready money system would not keep them out of debt, 15,078; if cash payment for fish were enforced by law, men would likely wish to revert to the old system, 15,081; men will not stick to a bargain, 15,082; men are not so poor as represented, and often have deposits in banks, 15,090; has sometimes exacted liberty money, 15,100; expects sons of tenants to serve on beach, 15,102; cannot understand how small dealers can give a price for fish higher than the current one, 15,103; fishermen are very difficult to deal with, 15,106.

HALCROW, Jane (analysis of her evidence, p. 103), lives in Sandwick, 4166; knits for Mr. R. Linklater with his wool, 4167; is paid in goods, 4168; once asked but never got money, 4169, 4170 she could get goods cheaper at other houses, 4173-4186.

HALCROW, Jane (analysis of her evidence, p. 178), lives at Hillswick with her mother, 7418; who is a widow, 7419; and. tenant of land, 7420; knits, 7425; is paid generally in goods, 7430; gets a little money and stamps, 7431; would prefer, but never asked, payment in cash, 7436; eggs, 7448; are paid for in cash if asked, 7449; tea, 7452.

HALCROW, John (analysis of his evidence, p. 324), fisherman at Levenwick and tenant under Mr. Bruce,. 13,080; formerly bound to fish for Robert Mouat, 13,082; the articles at his store were bad and overpriced, 13,085; most men were bound to deal with him, 13,088; and to take all their farm produce to him, 13,089; had to deal because they could not get money, 13,090; he gave money for cattle but very seldom otherwise, 13,091 - [Page 444] 13,093; at settlement he would not pay money, 13,102; paid rent to Mouat two years in advance, and when he failed had to pay it again, 13,105.

HALCROW, Peter (analysis of his evidence, p. 392), seaman, 15,546; goes on sealing and whaling voyages, 15,547; generally gets his outfit from the agent he engages with, 15,549; on one occasion could not get balance and an allowance from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Fund in cash, 15,552-15,568; corroborates Francis Gifford (p. 391), 15,585; men indebted get a ship more readily, 15,587.

HALCROW, Robert (analysis of his evidence, p. 115), fisherman and tenant at Dunrossness, 4646; is bound to deliver his fish to landlord, 4647; corroborates William Goudie (p. 105), 4647-4649; knitting—thinks that to some knitters payment in cash would be an advantage, while to others goods are better, 4650; when new tacksman came to Dunrossness, notice was given by a bill in a public place that men were bound to fish for him, and would be removed if they did not, 4559, 4560; goods are somewhat dearer at fish-curer's store, 4662-4668; but there is no obligation to deal there, 4671; and men have freedom in disposing of their farm stock, 4673-4683; short warning is a great hardship, 4688; does not think payment for fish on delivery would be an advantage except to young men, 4692; meal is dearer at store than elsewhere, 4706-4718.

HARCUS, William (analysis of his evidence, p. 288), is a small merchant in Scalloway, 11,782; deals with fishermen, but does not buy fish, 11,783; does not give credit, 11,784; his trade would be improved by the introduction of a cash system, 11,786; his weekly drawings are larger at settlement time, 11,794; does not think weekly or monthly payments would be practicable, 11,797; buys lobsters and oysters, and pays in cash, 11,800-11,803; hosiery is a bad speculation, 11,824; has tried the plan of giving meal for it, and found he had no profit, 11,824; hosiery should be paid in cash, 11,826; settlements in Shetland take a long time, owing to the men's ignorance of arithmetic, 11,833-11,836; when whales are drawn ashore by the men, one-third of the oil is taken by the landlord—thinks this unfair, 11,856-11,860. In letter afterwards sent to commissioner, says (p. 290) that he is in favour of short settlements, even if for no other reason than that they would benefit his trade; but thinks them impracticable at present owing to the distance of the fishing grounds from the curers' headquarters, and time would be lost which the crews could not afford to lose. The ignorance of men in arithmetic would also be a hindrance.