HC Deb 12 February 1891 vol 350 cc489-90
COLONEL HILL (Bristol, S.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, considering the disadvantages under which the Newfoundland fishermen are labouring owing to the heavy bounties given by France upon fish, and the grave importance of the fisheries dispute, he can state that Her Majesty's Government are taking active steps to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the difficulty?

SIR J. FERGUSSON

The system of giving bounties upon fish is one to which the French Government attach great importance, and as it is entirely a matter of internal regulation we have no ground for objecting to it. The dispute with respect to the Treaties is receiving the anxious attention of Her Majesty's Government.

DR. TANNER

Will not attention be paid to the claims of the poor fishermen who suffered, seeing that the Government have made an allowance to Mr. Baird for the disturbance and annoyance to which he was subjected?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That does not arise out of the question.

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