730. Was it the case before Mr. Bruce took the fishing into his own hands?-Yes.
731. So that many men in those times would be unable to sell their fish to another merchant than Messrs. Hay or Mr. Robertson, who had the fishing then?-Yes; of course there were times when the fishing was small, and perhaps men required a lot of meal, and they could not get it without going into debt; and when merchants supported them in that way, the men could not do better than hand over their fish to the merchants to whom they were in debt.
732. So that there was even then a certain obligation on the men to fish to a particular merchant?-[Page 15] Yes. When a man is in debt, he is under an obligation to clear his debt.
733. But your complaint is, that you are much more strictly bound now?-Yes; there was no obligation for a man to clear his debt with any merchant before now.
734. Was there then any obligation to purchase at that merchant"s store?-None.
735. Except that perhaps they would not get credit elsewhere?- Exactly.
736. In those times did the men get advances in money during the season when they asked them?-Yes.
737. But you still get that?-Yes, we get that still, of course.
738. If you choose, you can get your provisions elsewhere; and if you choose to get them elsewhere, you will get all your money at the end of the season?-Yes, if we had any over; but if we had no money over, of course the merchant from whom we had to get our goods would have to want.
Lerwick, January 2, 1872, LAURENCE LESLIE, examined.
739. You are now a fisherman in Lerwick?-Yes.
740. You formerly lived at Dunrossness?-Yes.
741. And you had a piece of ground from Mr. Bruce of Sumburgh?-Yes.
742. You have been present during the examination of the previous witness, and heard the whole of his examination?-Yes.
743. Do you concur in that part of it which referred to yourself with regard to the quant.i.ty of fish you got last season?-I do.
744. What may be the total price you got for your cured fish?-We had three different kinds of fish-saith, cod, and ling. We got 12s.
per cwt. for saith, I think 18s. for cod, and 20s. for ling, dried.
745. The quant.i.ty which you had to sell was the same when weighed green as that which Laurence Mail delivered to Mr.
Bruce?-Of course.
746. You lived in Dunrossness for a number of years?-Yes.
747. Do you concur with the rest of the evidence which Laurence Mail gave?-I do.
748. It was all correct?-Yes.
749. Do you know a man named William Brown at Millpond?- Yes.
750. Was he a fisherman?-Yes.
751. How far did he live from your place?-I think about two miles.
752. Do you know whether at any time lately he and some other old men went fishing on their own account, and were obliged to pay liberty money?-Yes; he stated that he had been applied to for payment of liberty money.
753. How long ago was that?-I think it was three years ago.
754. Is Brown an old man?-Yes; perhaps between fifty and sixty.
755. Would he be able to come to Lerwick?-He might.
756. Would it not be rather hard for a man of his age to come this length?-I think it would be rather hard; but I think he could come.
757. To whom had he to pay that liberty money?-To Mr.
Grierson of Quendale, his landlord.
758. Is Mr. Grierson a fish-merchant too?-Yes.
759. Do you know James Williamson at Berlin, Dunrossness?- Yes.
760. Is he on Mr. Grierson"s land?-Yes.
761. Do you know anything about a boy of his who had gone out to service with a neighbouring farmer lately?-I know that he has a boy, but I cannot say anything about him going to service. I don"t think Williamson could come here; he is in ill health at present.
Lerwick, January 2, 1872, WALTER WILLIAMSON, examined.
762. You are a fisherman in the island of Burra?-I am.
763. Do you hold a piece of ground there under Messrs. Hay & Co., who are the lessees of Burra under Misses Scott of Scalloway?-I do.
764. You are one of the men who signed the following letter which has been addressed to me:- " Burra Isle, 1st Jan.
1872.
"SIR, We, the undersigned, desire to give evidence to the following effect, and will be glad to be informed when it will be convenient for you to receive our evidence":- "We are bound by agreement to fish to our landlord; but no price is agreed upon until the time of settlement, which occurs about once a year. We have then to take what price is offered; and if we or our sons fish to any other person, we have to pay 20s. each yearly of ".""We can get no leases of our farms, and have to build and repair our own houses at our own expense, without any compensation when leaving the farm, or when ejected from it.
"As we settle only once a year, of course we have to buy from our landlord"s shop till the end of the year, at which time we seldom have any money to get, except when we have better fishings than ordinary.
"If we capture whales, we have to pay one-third of the proceeds to the landlord.
"Those of us who have daughters engaged in knitting can testify to the fact that they are invariably paid in goods, both for the goods they sell, and also for their wages when engaged to knit for the hosiery dealers.
"We have to add, that we wish to be free to fish to whom we please, or to cure our own fish, and to receive compensation for improvements effected on our houses or farms when we leave them.
"Other details we will state when called before you. Meantime we remain, sir, your most obedient servants, "WALTER WILLIAMSON.
"GILBERT GOODLAD.
"LAURENCE POTTINGER.
"PETER SMITH.
"LAURENCE INKSTER."CHARLES SINCLAIR "JOHN NEWTON GOODLAD.
"HANCE SMITH.
"ROBERT SINCLAIR.
"JOHN POTTINGER.
"ALEXANDER SINCLAIR.
"THOMAS CHRISTIE.
"GEORGE JAMIESON.
"To WILLIAM GUTHRIE, Esq., " H.M. Commissioner, Lerwick."
-I am.