§ MR. CHARLES WILSON (Hull, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if be would endeavour to pass into law, this Session, the Fisheries Acts Amendment Bill, which is to prevent the sale of immature fish, and is pressed on the Government by the deep sea fishing interests of the East Coast, and as affecting the supply of fish to the people.
§ CAPTAIN PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)asked at the same time whether the Government would be prepared to receive a deputation on the subject.
§ MR. RITCHIEdid not think it necessary that a deputation should wait upon him to inform him as the various phases of this important question. A deputation had already been received at the Board of Trade with reference to it, and he himself had had the advantage of hearing a long discussion on the subject in London by representatives of the fishing committees throughout the country, and he found that there was quite a unanimous opinion on their part that legislation in the direction of the Bill already introduced by the Government was urgently required. Having regard, however, to the statement made by the Leader of the House yesterday, he did not imagine there was much chance of the Bill being dealt with in this House this Session, unless, of course, he could receive some assurance that the Measure would be practically an uncontested one.
§ MR. T. R. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire. E.)could at once give the right hon. Gentleman the assurance that the Kill would be highly contentious.
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman's attention had been called to the fact that there was very strong opposition to this Bill in the most important fishing centres.
§ MR. RITCHIEI know there is opposition, but my opinion is that it is not a strong one.
MR. JAMES LOWTHERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that unanimous representations against, the Bill have been received from Ramsgate and Lowestoft?
§ MR. RITCHIEI am also aware that at the meeting, where all the fishing committees throughout the kingdom were represented, my right hon. Friend took up an attitude of opposition to the report and found himself in a minority of one. [Laughter].
MR. JAMES LOWTHERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the fishermen were represented at all at this meeting?
§ MR. RITCHIEI cannot say whether any particular class was represented, but I know it was attended by representative 266 men from all the fishing committees throughout the kingdom.
§ MR. BUCHANANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Bill deals with a highly contentious question as between the steam trawlers and the line fishermen?
§ MR. RITCHIEI am quite satisfied that the Bill is of such a contentious nature that it is impossible to contemplate passing it this Session.