5820. Some of them might think that if the price were to rise, they ought to get the full value of that rise?-I don"t think any reasonable man could expect that, if he had made a fixed bargain to be paid so much.
5821. But you say that some of the men would make a difficulty about an arrangement of that kind; what do you mean by that?- The only difficulty I see would be a want of means to supply what they require in order to fit them for the fishing; but I think the difficulty might be got over.
5822. Do you mean that the men would get under weigh even if there was a fixed price?-I think so.
5823. When would you have that fixed price paid?-For my own part I would not care although we were not paid until the same time when we are paid at present. If it were paid weekly, I don"t know how that system might work.
5824. Do you think that all the fishermen would like to have a price fixed in the beginning of the season?-I cannot say that the whole would like to have it, but for my own part I should like it and I know there are others besides me.
5825. Do you think there would be no difficulty in getting credit from the fish-curer in the same way as at present, if there was a fixed price?-No; the time for fixing the price might be the only thing that would be altered, and the settlement would still remain in November. We would then have a fixed price, and would know what we were working for.
5826. You have no objection to the system of advances?-I cannot say that I have.
5827. Are you quite at liberty to engage with any fish-curer you please, and to engage to fish for him through the season?-Yes.
5828. Has every fisherman the same liberty?-Every one, so far as I know, in this place.
5829. Even although he is in debt to the fish-curer?-No; in that case the fish-curer expects him to fish for him until his debt is paid. That is generally looked for, and in some instances I know that they had to agree to do it.
5830. Do you know that they wished to fish for another curer, but that they were obliged to fish to the man to whom they were in debt?-They did not wish to fish to another curer, but that fish-curer wished them to sign an agreement to fish to him for the rising season.
5831. Did they agree to do that?-Yes. They did not say anything about leaving the fish-curer, but only he wished them to agree.
5832. At what time of the year was that?-I have seen it done in the month of November, and also in December.
5833. Did the fish-curer ask them to do that at a time when they were wanting further advances of goods or money?-Yes, advances of money.
5834. And it was in order that he might have some security for these advances that he asked them to sign the agreement?-Yes.
5835. Is that a common thing?-I cannot say it is a common thing in my experience, but I have known it done in two or three different cases.
5836. Where was that?-At Hillswick.
5837. Have you known it done anywhere else?-No.
5838. Who were the men with whom it was done?-One man who told me twice over about it was Hugh Phillip; it happened with him in two different years.
5839. Has it happened with anybody else to your knowledge?- No.
5840. Was it not quite fair that a man should be expected to work for the curer until his debt was paid?-Yes.
5841. How does a man get into such an amount of debt as that?
Is it from dealing with the shop?-I cannot say that the shop accounts are the cause of it, but it may arise from the circ.u.mstances of his family. The fishing here is the only thing a man has to depend upon, and sometimes, when it turns out bad year, he perhaps has taken a greater amount of supply from the shop for his family than usual.
5842. Was Phillip"s account for shop goods?-It was for an advance of rent.
5843. That was what he was taking the money for but was he in debt before for shop goods?-Yes.
[Page 145]
Brae, January 10, 1872, WILLIAM GREEN, examined.
5844. You live at Sullem?-Yes.
5845. Are you a boat-skipper?-Yes.
5846. Where do you fish?-At Stenness.
5847. To whom do you deliver your fish?-To Mr. Adie.
5848. Have you done that long?-For six years.
5849. Do you settle with him at the end of the season?-Yes.
5850. Did you hear Mr Adie"s evidence to-day?-I did.
5851. Did it give a fair account of the way in which the settlement is made?-Yes.
5852. Are you one of the men who generally have a balance in your favour at the end of the year?-Yes.
5853. Would it be an advantage to you to have a shorter settlement?-I don"t think so.
5854. Why?-Because we fish during the year and at the year"s end we settle with him.
5855. Are you quite content with the settlement as it is?-For my part I am.
5856. Do you deal with Mr. Adie"s store at Voe to any great extent?-Yes.
5857. Do you take your goods from Voe to Sullem?-Yes.
5858. Is not that a long way to carry them?-It is.
5859. Could you not get them as good nearer home?-We could get them much the same but not better. If I want goods, Mr. Adie will either send them to me, or I may sometimes get the chance of a boat coming my way.
5860. How far is it from Sullem to Voe?-Perhaps from eight to nine miles.
5861. Are there shops nearer to you than that?-Yes; there is a shop at Brae, and there is also a shop to the northward.
5862. Can you get goods as cheap at these shops as at Mr.
Adie"s?-Much the same.
5863. Do you deal as much at these shops as at Mr. Adie"s?-No; I deal more with Mr. Adie than with them.
5864. Is that because you have an account with Mr. Adie?-Yes.
5865. Do you know whether there is any difference between the prices in the shop at Voe and at other places?-I see no great difference. I have tried other places; and if there was any difference at all, it would be that I could get an article at Mr.
Adie"s perhaps a little cheaper than at other places.
5866. Then the only disadvantage you have in dealing at Voe is the distance?-Yes.