HL Deb 26 May 1868 vol 192 cc916-7

Order of the Day for the House to be again put into Committee on the Bill (on, Re-commitment) read.

THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDE

presented a Petition of Frank T. Buck-land and others praying for Amendment of the Bill, and that it may be referred to a Select Committee, and expressed his opinion that it would act most prejudicially in reference to the prosperity of the Irish oyster fisheries, especially as the present system of dredging was very destructive. At all events, he did not see why the Convention should not be suspended for a year, to give time to make arrangements.

House in Committee accordingly.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND

stated the course he proposed to adopt with a view to meet the case of the Irish fishermen. He understood the grievance to consist in a fear that fishermen would flock from the English Channel during the close time to the coast of Ireland, where the close time was shorter. He therefore proposed to insert a clause after Clause 68 enabling the Queen in Council to give powers to the Irish Fishery Commissioners to make bye-laws over that portion of their waters beyond the three-mile limit, and providing that the close time in the English Channel should correspond with the close time beyond the three-mile limit on the Irish coast. He also proposed to extend the powers of the Commissioners, enabling them to make bye-laws operating over twenty miles between two points on the coast of Ireland. He believed this would satisfy the requirements of the Irish fishermen.

After a few words from Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY,

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND

expressed his belief that the very worst thing that could happen to the oyster fishermen in Ireland would be that this Bill should not pass, because if it did not the close time would be the same as that under the old Convention. It was a mistake to imagine that the French Government were anxious for the change; because that Government believed that in entering into this Convention they were giving up everything and gaining nothing. They had, however, consented to shorten the close time by six weeks.

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY

said, that if Her Majesty's Government would endeavour to negotiate with the French Government a supplementary Convention to enable bye-laws to be made applicable to French subjects fishing in the seas between Ireland and England, then the Irish oyster banks would be placed in precisely the same position as the oyster banks dealt with by the Convention for the Channel.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

said, the clause conceded to the Irish fishermen all that they required. The Irish fishermen were anxious that there should be some jurisdiction to protect the oyster beds on the high seas along the coast of Ireland. A jurisdiction had been supposed to rest in the Irish Fishery Commissioners which, in fact, they did not now possess. The Bill proposed that the Irish Fishery Commissioners might submit to the Queen in Council the form of bye-laws which they would recommend. Her Majesty in Council might approve those bye-laws, and, as they might affect both English and French subjects if future Conventions should be made, the bye-laws ought to be subject to the approval of the Queen in Council. There would also be a proviso that the close time for those oyster beds should not be shorter than that enacted by the Irish Fishery Commissioners for the oyster beds within the three-mile limit.

After a few words from The Marquess of CLANRICARDE, the proposed clause was agreed to with verbal amendments.

Amendments made.

The Report of the Amendments to be received on Friday next; and Bill to be printed as amended (No. 125).