THIRD READING. (Hansard, 24 March 1873)

§ MR. DODDS
inquired of the Government, Whether they would consent to continue the present Salmon Fishery Commissioners, and to give them extended powers?

§ MR. WINTERBOTHAM
said, he could not give the hon. Gentleman any pledge on the subject. Such was certainly not the present intention of the Government.

§ MR. DODDS
expressed his regret that the Government should have thought it necessary to hurry this Bill through the House at this early period of the Session, 89 and he complained that the Bill superseded the present Salmon Fishery Commissioners just at a time when their labours were becoming more valuable than ever, and the results from those labours were becoming every day more apparent in the increased production of salmon. In his opinion the proper course would have been not only to have continued them, but to have given them extended powers. As Chairman of the Salmon Fisheries Committee which sat some Sessions ago, he could bear testimony to the admirable manner in which they had performed their duties. They had inspected most, if not all, of the large rivers in England, and had made the most searching inquiries, the result being that regulations were adopted which had had the effect of largely increasing the production of salmon. He had fully expected that the Government would have inserted a clause in this Bill continuing their existence, if it were only for two or three years, and he expressed himself much disappointed at finding they had not. It was useless of course to oppose the measure; but he must express his opinion that the gentlemen to whom he had alluded had been very coldly treated by the Government.

§ MR. WINTERBOTHAM
said, that he did not in the least deny that the services which the Commissioners whom it was proposed to supersede by this Bill had rendered had been most valuable to the country; but, at the same time, the Government were of opinion that, for all real practical purposes, their work was done. They had held very few sittings during the past two years, and it must be remembered that the cost of maintaining the Commission was many thousands of pounds a-year; and the Government did not feel justified in incurring any longer the expense of continuing the Commissioners, and especially of extending their powers. He fully concurred in the praise bestowed by the hon. Gentleman on the Commissioners; but for the reason he had stated the Government were of opinion that the time had arrived when they must cease to avail themselves of their services, however valuable.