§ Bill, as amended, considered.
§ Clause 4 (Fishery Board may make bye-laws prohibiting or regulating trawling within defined areas).
§ MR. C. S. PARKERpointed out that one of the sections provided that a bye-law under this Act should not be of any validity until it was confirmed by one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. The House had agreed to create a Secretary for Scotland, and a great deal of pains had been taken to find business to occupy his time. It seemed to him, in these circumstances, rather strange that after doing that they should be creating new duties for the Secretary of State, instead of giving them to the new Minister for Scotland. He moved to substitute for "one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State" the words "the Secretary for Scotland."
§
Amendment proposed,
In page 2, line 2, to leave out the words "one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State," and insert the words "the Secretary for Scotland."—(Mr. C S. Parker)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ On Motion of THE SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Baron Henry De Worms), the following Amendments made:—Page 2, line 26, after "conviction," leave out to end of Clause; Clause 5, page 3, line 8, after "directing," leave out "the," and insert "their;" page 3, line 8, after "officers," leave out "in their employment."
§ MR. ASHERproposed to omit from Clause 6, line 14, the words "and within the exclusive fishery limits of the British Islands." This clause required statistics to be given of the fish caught; but as it stood at present it was merely applicable to the territorial waters within three miles of the shore. He thought the clause would be altogether unworkable if it were left in that position. It was, of course, quite impos- 1510 sible for a fisherman coming into port in charge of a boat to say what proportion of fish he had caught within the three mile limit and what proportion outside that limit. He thought that the clause should be made applicable to the catch of fish, whether made within or without the territorial waters.
§
Amendment proposed,
In Clause 6, line 14, to leave out the words "and within the exclusive fishery limits of the British Islands."—(Mr. Asher.)
§ Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Clause."
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD (Baron HENRY DE WORMS)assented to the Amendment.
§ Question put, and negatived.
§ MR. C. S. PARKERproposed to omit from lines 17 and 20 the words "one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State" and insert "the Secretary for Scotland."
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
On the Motion of The SECRETARY to the BOARD (Baron Henry De Worms), the following Amendments made:—Clause 7, page 4, line 13, after "necessary," leave out "on the question of the damage;" Clause 8, page 4, line 21, after "person," leave out "whose property," and insert "who;" Clause 8, page 4, line 28, after "proceed," leave out "according to the provisions of Clause seven hereof," and insert—
To consider and dispose of the question of compensation to the injured party, and if a report of a sea fishery officer has been produced, as set forth in Clause seven hereof, the sheriff shall not allow any additional evidence to be heard unless he shall consider it to be necessary in order to do justice in the case; and, if he shall allow additional evidence, the accused person shall he allowed to be examined as a witness on the question of the amount of damages;
§ Clause 8, page 4, line 31, after "damages," insert "and shall, after hearing parties, give decree as in an ordinary action before the Sheriff Court."
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Clause 8, as amended, stand part of the Bill."
§ MR. ASHERsaid that in Committee he proposed an alternative clause which, in his opinion, carried out the intention embodied in the clause more effectually 1511 than this clause did. The difference was, however, merely a matter of drafting; and as it had been considered by the Government desirable to retain the clause in its present shape he did not propose to offer any opposition to it.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ MR. R. W. DUFFsaid that before Report was disposed of, he desired to ask if the Government could give the House any information as to what steps were being taken, in accordance with the recommendations of the Trawling Commission, for the protection of fishing vessels? The vessels at present employed on the coast of Scotland in the work of protection were quite obsolete. He had raised the question on the Scotch Fishery Vote and on the Navy Estimates, and he wished to again ask what was being done by the Admiralty to provide efficient vessels. He had received an assurance from the Admiralty that they intended to do something, and he hoped that intention would be carried out, otherwise the Bill would be quite useless.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD (Baron HENRY DE WORMS)said, he had been in communication with the Admiralty, and he had every reason to believe that arrangements were being made for the proper protection of the fishing vessel.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed, with Amendments.