9284. Who do you fish for now?-For Mr. Adie, the same as Johnston does.
9285. Do you deal in the same way as he described?-Yes.
9286. How do you get your supplies, for your family?-Sometimes Mr. Adie will send us meal for our families from Aberdeen or from Leith, and we will pay the freight. It is not easy for him to send it to us from his place at Voe, but he will send it from these other places if we ask him.
9287. Do these supplies go to your account?-Yes.
9288. Do you ever get supplies anywhere else?-Sometimes in Skerries, where we fish.
9289. These go into the same account, and are settled for at Voe?-Yes.
9290. Do you bring goods from Voe at settling time when you want them?-We always bring something.
9291. Are you asked if you want goods when you go there to settle?-Yes; they will ask us if we desire anything.
9292. But you need not take them unless you like?-No.
9293. Do you get any goods at Burravoe?-Not very much. We don"t run very large accounts there.
9294. Mr. Henderson"s shop is not very far from where you live?-It is not very far.
9295. Would it not be handier for you to get your goods there?- We don"t run very large accounts with him. I might get my goods from him if I was fishing for him, but when I am not putting any fish or any produce his way I don"t ask anything.
9296. Could you not get the money for your fish, and buy your goods where it was most convenient for you?-We might.
9297. Did you never think of doing that?-No.
9298. Why?-I don"t know.
9299. Do you think Mr. Henderson will charge higher prices from those who do not fish for him?-I cannot say.
9300. You never were afraid of that?-No.
Mid Yell, January 17, 1872, GILBERT ROBERTSON, examined.
9301. You are a fisherman and tenant at Hamnavoe on Mr.
M"Queen"s property?-I am.
9302. You are an elder of the Established Church in South Yell parish?-Yes.
9303. How long have you been at Hamnavoe?-All my life. I am 56 years of age, and I was born on the property.
9304. Were you formerly bound to fish to the tacksman on the property?-No; I have had liberty all my time to fish for any one I liked, except for three years, when my landlord, the late Mr.
Robert Bruce, required us to fish for him. He succeeded to the property about 1853, and it was in 1857 or 1858 that he required our services.
9305. You have been a skipper for a number of years?-For two years, but not for the last two years. I was two years at the whale fishing in 1868 and 1869. In 1868 I engaged with Messrs. Hay, and in 1869 I engaged with Mr. George Reid Tait. I got my first month"s advance laid down at the custom-house, and when I came back I got the rest at the custom-house. If I was due a small thing to the agent I went to him and paid it.
9306. Did you get an outfit?-Only a small thing. I had some things myself, and it was only a few things that I required from the agents. Anything that I required for my family I got from Robertson & Co. I have had an account with them for a long time. I have had as much as 7, 3s. from them in a year.
9307. Why did you deal with them?-I found them to be good men. They always try to advance people as far as they can, and especially people who strive to pay them back again.
9308. Have you ever fished in the ling fishing?-Yes; I have been there for the last two years. The year before last I fished for Mr.
Henderson, Burravoe, and last year I fished for William Jack Williamson at Ulsta.
9309. Did you run accounts with them?-Very little.
9310. Was that because you dealt with R. & C. Robertson?-Yes.
9311. Do most of the men deal with the merchants they fish for?- They do, because they have no money of their own, and they require their fishing to pay for what they get.
9312. Do they get their out-takes on credit?-Yes, until the fishing is done, and then they clear it off. I had no dealings with these two merchants except for my living in the summer time-meal and tea and sugar.
9313. Were these for your company account?-Yes.
9314. Do you think you get your supplies cheaper from R. & C.
Robertson than you would get them from the merchants you fish for?-I think so.
9315. And better, or at least as good?-Yes. If I send to Messrs.
Robertson for a sack of meal, I get it at the Lerwick price, with the addition of the freight, but when the meal comes to a merchant in the North Isles, he has to take a little profit on it besides.
9316. Are any of the merchants here supplied with their meal from R. & C. Robertson?-I cannot say.
9317. Because if they are not they might possibly get their supplies from the south, and land them here cheap as Messrs.
Robertson can land them at Lerwick?-They might. I believe Mr. Henderson, Burravoe, fetches his meal from the south occasionally.
9318. And as easily as the Robertsons can fetch it to Lerwick?- Yes; he has just the freight between Lerwick and Burravoe to pay.
9319. But he might bring it by a sailing vessel from Aberdeen?- He might, but it always comes by the steamer.
9320. Do you know as a fact that the price at Lerwick is less than the price you would be charged meal at Burravoe?-It is a little less.
9321. Do you also find that the quality of the meal better there?- It is sometimes as good in Lerwick at a price of 2s., or 2s. 6d., or 3s. cheaper at Burravoe than it is in the North Isles. I have bought flour lately from [Page 225] Messrs. Robertson at 16s. or 18s. a boll, and have bought it as low as 14s. 6d.
9322. Have you bought any meal during the last year?-No; I did not require it.
9323. But before that you found a difference of 2s. on the flour, and 3s. or 4s. on the sack of meal?-Yes.
9324. Have you bought provisions or supplies from Mr.
Henderson, Burravoe, lately?-Not for a long time. Perhaps I might buy a 1/4 lb. of tea or something like that, if I was at his door; but I paid for it then, and there was no account.
9325. You say you have been quite free to fish for any one you pleased except during three years: did Mr. M"Queen ever forbid you to fish for Mr. Henderson?-Once. I think that was about three years ago; but he (Mr. M"Queen) came to see that that would not do and it was never more spoken of.
9326. Did you fish that year for Mr. Henderson?-No. I went to Greenland; but in the following year I fished for him.
9327. Did you go to Greenland because Mr. M"Queen asked you to do so?-It was almost because of him telling me not to fish for Mr. Henderson.
9328. But you did not like to be interfered with?-No. If I paid my rent to my landlord at the end of the season, I liked to be at liberty to go where I pleased. With regard to the winter fishing, it does not matter much, because they will pay ready money for it whenever we bring in the fish.