§ MR. J. G. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate, as representing the Secretary for Scotland (1) whether his attention has been called to the fact that out of the 20 convictions obtained in 1896 against persons engaged in illegal trawling in Scottish waters four of these convictions apply to William Sims, master of the Sunray, who was fined in the aggregate £285; two convictions apply to Frederick Powderall, master of the Pansy, who was fined in the aggregate £180; and two convictions apply to Thomas Lauder, master of the Amy Gertrude, who was fined in the aggregate £125; (2) will he state whether any of these men elected to go to prison rather than pay the fine; and (3) in view of the fact that repetition of offences by the same offender indicates an indifference to fines on the part of persons engaged in illegal trawling, will he take care that when prosecutions are undertaken the attention of the Court is prominently called to any cases of previous convictions, and that in such cases efforts be made to procure a confiscation of gear in addition to the fine?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY,) ButeshireThe facts set forth in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's Question are correctly stated. Sims on three occasions and Powderall on one occasion elected to go to prison. When known, the attention of the Procurator Fiscal is called to previous convictions, and in every instance where such a course can be followed, the trawling gear belonging to convicted trawlers has been seized and sold.
§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Adcate (1) if he will state the names of the six trawling skippers, with name of vessel, who during the year 1896 elected to go to prison for the whole period of their sentence rather than pay the fines inflicted for trawling in prohibited waters; and (2) in view of the indifference with which masters of vessels engaged in trawling in prohibited waters treat the penalties now imposed, will he consider the expediency of taking such steps as will admit of deterrent penalties being inflicted on the owner of such vessels as well as on the master.
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATEI am informed by the Fishery Board that the 164 names of the trawling skippers who remained in prison for the whole period of their sentences in 1896, are William Price, master of the Strathspey, A 751; Isaac Jackson, master of the St. Fotin, A 392; Frederick Powderall, master of the Commodore, G.N. 31; and William Sims, master of the Sunray, A 669. As regards the second part of the Question, I must refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him to a similar Question on the 21st February last.