SECOND READING. (Hansard, 27 July 1885)

§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDON
said, he wished to point out to the House that this Bill had only been delivered that morning. It was a Bill of great importance, and some of its provisions were of a very arbitrary character. It enabled the Fishery Board to prohibit fishing altogether under certain circumstances; but it contained no provision for those men whose means of livelihood might be taken away. The Committee, who had recommended the Bill, had gone altogether outside the limit of their inquiry, and had sent in a very able Report in favour of trawling; but there was no doubt whatever that there was a great wish amongst the fishermen that trawl fishing in territorial waters should be limited. He thought it was very improper that the Bill should be taken that night, when there had been no opportunity of putting down an opposition to it.

§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR)
said, he hoped that the hon. and gallant Member would not press his opposition to the second reading of the measure being taken that night. It was true that this Bill now came before the House for the first time; but it had been before the House of Lords for a considerable period, and in that way it had been before the fishing community, and it was practically a reflex of the general view on the subject of fishing. He was quite aware that there might 209 be some opposition to some particular provisions in the Bill; but that could be gone into when the measure got into Committee. It would be a great misfortune if the Bill was not advanced a stage now, for if it were not it might not be possible to proceed further with it until next Session.

§ MR. MARJORIBANKS
said, he would point out that he was a Member of the Committee referred to, and could say that the Bill fully carried out their recommendations with regard to steam trawling on the East Coast of Scotland. It was proved before the Committee that this trawling did a great deal of damage to the nets of the fishermen, and this Bill would do a great deal of good in preventing such damage. He hoped that the present Government would be able to replace some of the provisions which had been inserted by the late Government. He thought it might be well to give the Commanders of Her Majesty's Fleet some authority in the matter of seeing that the regulations with regard to trawling were carried out.

§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOAED OF TRADE (Baron HENRY DE WORMS)
said, he did not propose to go into the details of the Bill at that late hour; but he hoped that the hon. and gallant Member would not insist on his opposition. All the points he had raised could be taken in Committee, and he (Baron Henry De Worms) thought the hon. and gallant Gentleman would find that the Bill, instead of doing harm, would be exceedingly beneficial to the fishermen. If he had had time he could have convinced the hon. and gallant Member that that was so. He would point out also that the Bill was printed on Saturday. He hoped it would be allowed to go through.

§ MR. WILLIAMSON
said, he also desired to see the Bill read a second time. It might be amended in Committee; but, on the whole, he regarded it as an honest effort to carry out the recommendations of the Trawling Committee. His hon. and gallant Friend (Sir Alexander Gordon) was afraid that the Fishery Board would have an absolute authority; but he would point out that all the bye-laws they framed had to receive the sanction of the Home Secretary before they could come into force.

§ SIR ALEXANDER GORDON
said, he would not oppose the second reading now; but he would give Notice that, on going into Committee on the Bill, he would move a Resolution declaring that no settlement of the question could be satisfactory that did not make some further provision in regard to fishing in territorial waters.