Second Shetland Truck System Report Part 45

962. Is there anything else you wish to say?-You have not asked what may be the difference on a hundredweight of fish, if we had the advantage of selling them for ourselves, as against what we get for them under the present system. I believe the difference would be between 2s. and 3s. per cwt.

963. Do you think your profit would be 2s. or 3s. more per cwt. if the fish was sold by you?-Yes; if we were free agents to act for ourselves.

964. But in the case of a man who was curing on a large scale, has he not an advantage in the way of curing cheaper than a single fisherman would have?-We cannot think he would. We know what we could, cure them for ourselves: that is a matter within our own knowledge. The merchants tell us they cure, at a dearer rate, but we cannot enter into their accounts. If it costs them so much to cure the fish, then they must cure them much dearer than we know they could be cured for by ourselves.

965. Is it from your experience in Havera, as compared with your experience in Burra, that you believe you would be 2s. or 3s. per cwt. better off by curing the fish for yourselves?-That is from my experience in Havera, and also from my experience in Burra.

966. But you have had no experience of selling your own fish cured for at least thirteen years?-Not cured; but I have had a little experience in half-cured fish since that time.

967. Have you sold fish half-cured?-Yes; I have sold a little this year.

968. Were these small fish?-Yes.

969. Did you make more of them than you would have done by delivering them to the merchant?-I did.

970. Was any objection taken by Messrs. Hay to your selling the fish in that way?-I must tell the truth: we did smuggle a few. We would not like them to know of it, but I suppose they will know of it by and by.

971. Is there much smuggling carried on in that way among the fishermen?-I believe it is done on a very small scale.

972. But the restrictions you are under do induce you to smuggle occasionally, in order to get a larger price?-Yes; and on some occasions, in order to get the ready money.

973. Do you not always get ready money for smuggled fish?-We can get it now.

974. From people in Scalloway?-Yes; but if had our liberty like Englishmen, we would have no need to smuggle.

975. Is there anything more you want to say about the matters referred to in your letter?-I think I have said all I wish to say, only that our errand in here has been undertaken under the protection of you, as a commissioner from Her Majesty's Government, who can give us our liberty; and if it had not been on that account we would not have come.

Lerwick, January 2, 1872, PETER SMITH, examined.

976. You are a fisherman in Burra?-Yes.

977. You hold some land in that island under Messrs Hay, and you fish for them in the home fishing?-Yes.

978. Do you go to the Faroe fishing also?-No; I never went there.

979. You have been present during the examination of Walter Williamson?-Yes.

980. Do you concur generally in what you have heard him say?- Yes.

981. You have been engaged in the herring fishery also?-Yes.

982. And you were one of the parties who signed memorial to the trustee on the estate of Scalloway some years ago?-Yes.

983. Can you remember how long it is since that pet.i.tion was got up?-I cannot exactly say, but think it was eight years ago.

984. Was it shortly after you were asked to sign the obligation which Williamson mentioned?-Yes.

985. Do you remember the grievances that were set forth in the memorial?-Were they the same things that you are complaining of now, or was there anything additional?-There was nothing additional.

986. Was there any prohibition at that time to sell tea to your neighbours?-There was very little of it sold.

987. But was it forbidden to sell tea to your neighbours?-Yes.

988. Is that forbidden now?-We have never tried it since.

989. Who forbade it?-Messrs. Hay.

990. Why?-Because they won't allow that to be done on the island.

991. What was their reason for that? Did you want to sell tea?- We did not want to sell tea, except that we were locked up in the island, and we could not get to Scalloway every day. If a storm came on and lasted for perhaps eight days, we could not get to the shop; and some parties might have had a pound or half a pound of tea in small parcels, and they would supply it to any of their neighbours who happened be run out.

992. How did any of the people happen have much tea by them?- They were working among the fish for Messrs. Hay, and they took the tea out of their store.

993. Why did they take it? Did they not want it?-They sometimes required a few pennies. The merchants at that time would give nothing but truck, and the people took the tea, and sold it to their neighbours in order to get a few pence.

994. How do you know that was forbidden? Was there any order issued in writing, or otherwise, stating that people should not sell tea to their neighbours?-It was ordered by word of mouth, and it was also stated by the obligation which we had to sign in Messrs.

Hay's office.

995. Did you sign that doc.u.ment?-Yes.

996. So that, you are now under a written obligation not to sell tea?-Yes; a written obligation.

997. Have you heard anything of late years about that prohibition against selling tea?-No.

998. Is it common for a neighbour who has got more tea than he wants, to sell it to another?-No they don't do it now.

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999. Why?-I don't know, except just that they are afraid.

1000. Then, if you want tea or any other goods, must go direct to the store at Scalloway for them?-Yes, if we have not got money.

If we had money, then we could go to any store we like, and buy what we want.

1001. Have the Burra people any complaints to make with regard to oysters?-I don't deal in them.

1002. You were engaged in the herring fishery. Was there any special complaint made in the memorial, or have you any special complaint to make just now, as to that fishery?-The herring fishery is carried on under the same restrictions as the ling,

1003. You are bound to hand over the fish to Messrs. Hay, and they are entered into the account the same as the others?-Yes.

1004. When you prepared that pet.i.tion some years ago, did you land your herring on the island, or were they handed in to some vessel?-There were two or three years about that time when a vessel came to Hamnavoe, and we measured them on board of her.

When she was full, we had to measure them on sh.o.r.e.

1005. Who sent that vessel?-It was a man who came with a vessel from Hamburg for herrings, and he bought them from Messrs. Hay.

1006. Did the man pay you for the fish?-No; we had nothing to do with him, so far as the paying was concerned.

1007. Was it one of the grievances set forth in the pet.i.tion, that you were paid in goods for these herrings, while the Wick fishermen got a larger price in cash?-I don't remember about that.