Colonel Wilson, in presenting a Petition from Staiths and Runswick, in the North Riding of the County of York, praying for the continuance of the Bounties on taking and curing Fish, which stated, that if the Bounties were withdrawn, ruin would be the consequence to numerous families, took occasion to observe, that he was sorry to see Ministers leave their places and walk away, when the wants of the people were alluded to by 1272 their Representatives. He supposed that they had no wish to hear tales of distress, but he could assure them, whether they were absent or present, he meant, whenever he had an opportunity, to state the grievances of the people. Indeed he should be unworthy of a scat in that House if he did not state boldly and fearlessly what he knew of the distresses of the people. He had taken some pains to make himself acquainted with the condition of the fisher-men, and he was sure that doing away with the Bounty would be ruin to them. The consequence of it would be, that the torrent of distress would be swelled by 100,000 additional souls. Those who advise such a measure must have been ill informed, or they must not have had the fear of God before their eyes, or the welfare of their country at heart. It was well known that in all fishery districts the people swarmed like bees, but were as poor as rats, aided, however, by the Bounty, they managed by their industry to pick up a living out of the sea, and while they supported themselves they fed the poor for many miles within their own neighbourhood. They required the assistance, too, of the sail-maker, rope-maker, and boat-builder, all of whom would suffer with the fishermen. Moreover, ruining the fishery was breaking up the best nursery for our seamen which we had. Government, he thought, was not aware that these Bounties were compensated by the Excise and Custom Duties levied on articles consumed directly by the fishermen, or by those who prepared their instruments. The whole amount of the Bounty was about 48,000l., and for such a paltry sum as that could the Government inflict ruin on so many people? Such a system was being penny wise and pound foolish, and showed that the subject had never been properly considered by the Government. He understood that Ireland was not yet to be deprived of this advantage, and he hoped therefore that it would be continued to England and Scotland a little time longer; another year at least he hoped would be granted. He had no wish unnecessarily to oppose the Ministers, but if they were determined not to listen to him, he was determined, night after night, to press the question on their attention; and if they did not attend to it, they should have his opposition, with all the force he could gather.
§ Mr. W. Duncombepresented a similar Petition from the Robin Hood's Bay fishermen, and intimated a wish to know what 1273 were the intentions of his Majesty's Government with respect to the Bounties. He hoped, if it were correct that the Bounty was to be continued for Ireland, that it would also be continued for England and Scotland.
Mr. Herriessaid, it was due to the numerous and industrious class connected with the Fisheries to state, that the subject of continuing the Bounties on some part of the Fishery, and for a limited period, was now under the consideration of his Majesty's Government; hut it was also necessary to state, that those Bounties would not on any account he continued in any case beyond that limited period. Parliament had determined that the Bounties should cease at a period now near at hand; and he confessed that although the subject of continuing some of the Bounties was under consideration, it would require a very strong case to induce the Government to alter its determination that these Bounties should wholly cease. The continuance of all of them was, indeed, quite out of the question. The Bounties on the curing of the fish might, perhaps, be continued for a short time, both on account of the peculiar nature of that employment, and its aiding the formation of a nursery for seamen; but beyond a short time, he thought it but fair to state, the Government had no disposition to continue any of the Bounties.
§ Petitions to be printed.