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Second Shetland Truck System Report Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Second Shetland Truck System Report novel. A total of 405 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Second Shetland Truck System Report.by William Guthrie.NOTES 1.Truck - The payment of wa
Second Shetland Truck System Report.by William Guthrie.NOTES 1.Truck - The payment of wages otherwise than in money, the system or practice of such a payment. References/Edinburgh enquiry/book/archives/size of original doc. OED.The Truck Commission Enquir
- 101 Laurenson's evidence, and I thought it gave a fair statement of the matter.3572. Is there anything you wish to add with regard to the system of paying in goods?-I have nothing to add to what I believe has already been stated.3573. Do you give lines?-
- 102 3617. Do you wish to add anything?-I should like to state something which struck me just now about a case where I saw lines given for money. It occurred in my own shop, and I believe it occurs oftener than we think; but there was one time when I detected
- 103 'It appears from the returns and doc.u.ments received by the Registrar-General of Seamen, that the indulgence granted by the Board of Trade under their special regulations, M. 2884/1864, to the owners and masters of sealing and whaling vessels, in re
- 104 3645. That would give a total of 162 fishermen employed by you, but some of them may be members of the same family?-Yes.3646. Are there many tenants who are not fishermen?-Not very many.3647. Have there been any applications for liberty to establish a new
- 105 3694. They may be protracted up to the New Year?-Yes, frequently.3695. Have you completed all your settlements now?-We have completed all our settlements, with the exception of Burra. We have not settled with the men there yet, but we shall commence to se
- 106 3743. Could they not deliver them for salting and curing in Scalloway?-Yes; but Scalloway is such great distance from the curing stations, that they are much better off as they are.3744. Are there no curing stations at Scalloway?-There are; but Scalloway
- 107 3792. But if a man has an account in both shops, might there not be some difficulty in restricting his advance?-In that case we close the account at Scalloway, and give the man what he requires here; and then we can restrict his advances if we see it to b
- 108 3839. Is it a common practice for the fish-curer to advance the money for a boat, or to supply the boat to the men and receive payment from them by instalments?-It is generally the understanding, that if a crew get a new boat, they pay up for it in three
- 109 3888. Would not that be a more advantageous arrangement for all parties in the home fis.h.i.+ng or in the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng than that which at present exists?-I don't think the fishermen here would agree to it. We have on several occasions made an ag
- 110 3932. Does the gross rental from it exceed the tack-duty by any considerable sum?-No; only by a very small sum.3933. How much?-Unless I had the rental here, I could not speak definitely; but I could show you the gross rental of Burra, and I can tell you t
- 111 'In Trondra, under the hands of your lessees as factors, the people can sell their labour and their goods to any buyer, so being they pay the stipulated rent.'In Hildesay, Luija, and Havera the tenants fish, cure, and sell to the proprietor or o
- 112 3999. Is it not the case that the majority of the fishermen employed by you are in debt to your shop?-It is not. In the case of Whalsay alone, I paid 1374 to the men when I settled with them. None of them are in debt, and they have usually large sums of m
- 113 4045. Can the seaman himself indorse the note beforehand?-In many cases the seamen don't get any of these allotment notes at all, especially on these short voyages to Greenland.4046. But on a long voyage, does the seaman in point of fact indorse the
- 114 4092. Where do you live?-At Satter, in Sandwick parish.4093. Are you in the habit of knitting?-Yes.4094. For whom?-For Mr. Robert Linklater. I knitted for him first.4095. Does he supply you with wool?-He gives us worsted to knit.4096. You don't knit
- 115 4140. Do you knit for any person in town?-Yes; have knitted for Mr. Robert Linklater for four years.4141. Do you knit with his wool?-Yes.4142. And are you paid in goods?-Yes.4143. Do you ever get money?-No.4144. Have you ever asked for it?-I asked for it
- 116 4186. If you had offered money in Mr. Linklater's or Mr. Sinclair's shops; would you not have got the dress as cheap there?-I don't think it.4187. Have you any reason to know that you would not?-Yes, I have reason to know that, because if w
- 117 4234. Then you think it would be better for the knitters that they should be paid in cash?-Yes, it would be better for all the Lerwick knitters especially.4235. Why for the Lerwick knitters especially?-Because they are most dependent upon their knitting,
- 118 4278. Before you took the land, were you living on the estate?-I had lived on the estate, for twenty-five years. I was born and brought up on it; then I was absent for eleven years, and then I came back to it. It was during the time I was absent that this
- 119 4323. Where is it 35 lbs?-In Lerwick, and, so far as I know, in Messrs. Hay's, at Dunrossness.4324. Is the statement you are making just now, that you understand you get only 32 lbs. to the quarter boll at Grutness, while at other places you would ge
- 120 4372. Were you sent for about it?-No; I wished to know if my boy should take the wages that he had been offered.4373. Why did you wish to know that?-Because I did not expect they would give me the same amount of wages if he acted as a beach boy. At the sa
- 121 4421. Then your difficulty is, that you are both fishermen and farmers?-Yes; if the land was let at its real value, at what it was actually worth, and we had a lease of it, and were allowed at the same time to make the best of our fis.h.i.+ng, we all beli
- 122 4469. Are you often as late as that in settling?-No; that was the latest I ever knew.4470. Was it your fault that the settlement was so late?-No; I should have liked to have settled sooner.4471. Do you know any reason why you could not have settled sooner
- 123 4515. Do you think you would be better off if you were at liberty to deliver your fish to any merchant you liked?-I would.4516. In what way?-Because I could make more of them.4517. Would you get a larger price for your fish?-Yes. I would perhaps get a lar
- 124 4563. Did you keep a lookout for that?-No; I have not gone to look yet.4564. Have you seen any of the men endeavouring to sell their fish to other people-to Messrs. Hay & Co. for instance, or to Mr.Gavin Henderson?-I have seen them selling to Messrs. Hay
- 125 4608. Is not that really just part of your bargain for the land?-It is the way we have done hitherto.4609. If you were agreed, would not the landlord commute these services and payments into a money payment. You might make a bargain to give him so much mo
- 126 4654. You have never heard them say that?-No. With regard to the evidence which has been given by the other men, I may be allowed to say that perhaps I have had a little more experience than some of them, but the statements which they have given have just
- 127 4701. I suppose what you mean is, that you are obliged to live at a certain rate of expenditure, and that you cannot reduce that rate any lower, however poor your fis.h.i.+ng may be?-No, I cannot.4702. So that you must take the bad years and the good year
- 128 4743. I suppose it involves a little expense to get the goods carried from the mainland to Fair Isle?-Of course it does.4744. There is a risk from the weather in taking them there?-Yes; there is a risk of damage, and there is not a safe harbour there.4745
- 129 4791. Does your account take off most of the price of your fish?- Yes, the most of it.4792. You only get a small balance at the end of the year?-Yes, if I have it to get; but if not, Mr. Bruce is kind enough to make me a small advance as I need it.4793. O
- 130 4838. How much cheaper was it?-I cannot remember exactly; but if I had had money, I could have purchased it cheaper at many places besides that.4839. Did you not get advances of money in the course of the year from Mr. Bruce?-Yes.4840. Could you not have
- 131 4884. Do you get payment of that balance in money?-Yes.4885. Do you also get advances in money, in the course of the year before settlement, if you want them?-Yes; whenever I ask for them. Our place is far away from the bank, and sometimes Mr.Bruce may ha
- 132 4929. Do you know how much the fishermen got from Tulloch and Smith?-I could not exactly say, but they got a little more.4930. You knew that at the time?-Yes, I knew it at the time from the fishermen who were giving their fish to them.4931. Do you know ho
- 133 4978. Do you prefer to go to Henderson's store because the goods are cheaper and better there?-Yes.4979. Are they both cheaper and better?-We generally think so.4980. Can you give me any particular case in which you have found them to be so?-I have n
- 134 5027. But you would have a long way to carry them if you were to buy them here?-Yes; but we don't think much of our travel sometimes when we can make good bargain.5028. Have you anything more to say about the state of matters in your neighbourhood?-I
- 135 5071. Had you any desire to have him engaged elsewhere?-I would not have minded much if he had never gone to the beach at all; it is not a very good berth for a boy. In the previous year they asked me if I would allow him to go to the beach, and I said I
- 136 5117. Have you any pa.s.s-book?-No, I don't keep any pa.s.s-book.5118. Is your account read over to you at settlement time?-Yes.5119. And you see that it is correct?-Yes; so far as my judgment leads me.5120. But you say you don't get many goods
- 137 5162. Can you give me some idea of what amount of the proceeds of their fis.h.i.+ng would be paid for by their account for goods?- The lowest amount that I ever had in an account for goods, when I settled with a man, was 21/2d. for a whole twelvemonth-the
- 138 5209. Is it not the case that fishermen sometimes buy the boat from the curer, and pay for it by instalments running over a certain number of years?-Not in Yell.5210. You have had no experience of that system of dealing?-I cannot say that I have.5211. Do
- 139 5257. Then you simply manage their curing business?-I merely dry their fish for them.5258. And the persons you have spoken of just now are still employed by you for the purpose of curing?-Yes.5259. How are their wages paid?-As I was curing Spence & Co.�
- 140 5303. Who told you that?-Gilbert Irvine, the factor.5304. Did he tell you that he only gave you 32 lbs. for a quarter boll?-I saw the weight myself. What we call a quarter boll is 35 lbs, and what is called a lispund is 32 lbs.; so that there should be a
- 141 5347. How long have you fished for him?-For about fourteen or fifteen years.5348. When you settle in November or December, have you generally a balance of cash to receive?-Sometimes I have and sometimes not.5349. Does that depend upon the season?-Yes.5350
- 142 5395. If you get that when you settle at the end of the year, would you get anything more if you were to pay in cash?-I am not able to say.5396. You just think you would like to have your money in your hand as you deliver your fish: is that the notion you
- 143 5442. On whose ground are you?-I am on ground belonging to the estate of Busta.5443. Are the fishermen on the Busta estate all free?-Yes.5444. There is no tacksman over them, but the fishermen as a rule fish to anybody they like?-I suppose they do; at lea
- 144 5489. But you say they would get money if they asked it?-If they were to ask for money, I don't see any reason why they should not get it as well as goods.5490. And to the same amount?-I cannot say for that.5492. Do you mean that the money which they
- 145 5535. Is that ever done? Is the bargain ever made for a fixed price at the beginning of the season to be paid according to the weight of fish when it is delivered and every time it is delivered?-No; I never had that bargain, and I never heard of it.5536.
- 146 5582. On the land?-No; on the sea in a little boat. They will take any small portion of fish we may give them, and hand us refreshments in return.5583. Do you get a larger sum for your fish in that way?-No; I never knew of any larger sum that was given in
- 147 5628. I understand each fisherman employed by you has an account in your ledger, in which each year is balanced at the settling time?-Yes.5629. That account on the one side contains the debt which he has incurred for furnis.h.i.+ngs to the boat, boat-hire
- 148 5677. Are these all employed in the summer fis.h.i.+ng?-Yes.5678. Is there any reason why the whole price of a man's fish should not be paid to him in money?-The only reason is that he has already got part of it in goods. Of course we cannot pay for
- 149 5724. Does a fisherman not incline rather to deal with the employer to whom he delivers his fish, than with another?-I think so. The fishermen and their employers are generally on a friendly footing, and the man is satisfied that the curer he is fis.h.i.+
- 150 Brae, January 10, 1872, CHARLES YOUNG, examined 5773. What are you?-I am a fisherman at Stenness.5774. How long have you been there?-For twenty years.5775. Do you hold land there?-No.5776. For whom do you fish?-For Mr. John Anderson, Hillswick. 5777. Do y
- 151 5820. Some of them might think that if the price were to rise, they ought to get the full value of that rise?-I don't think any reasonable man could expect that, if he had made a fixed bargain to be paid so much.5821. But you say that some of the men
- 152 5867. And the only advantage you have is that you have an open account there?-Yes.5868. Is that the only reason why you deal there-The boat we fish in belongs to Mr. Adie; we hire it from him.5869. Is that any reason for dealing at Voe?-No but we fish to
- 153 5914. Are there many people employed in your curing establishment as day workers?-Yes; they are chiefly women, but there are a few boys and a few old people.5915. How are they paid?-By the day.5916. When are they paid?-Whenever they wish 5917. Is there a
- 154 5962. You are not engaged in the hosiery business?-Only to a very small extent; we do not turn over 100 of hosiery in a year.There is one thing I should like to say about the difference in the price of our meal and the price of meal at Lerwick. I have hea
- 155 Hillswick, Northmaven: Thursday, January 11, 1872.-Mr. Guthrie.WILLIAM BLANCE, examined. 6008. You are a fisherman at Ollaberry?-I am.6009. Have you a piece of land there?-Yes.6010. Who is your landlord?-Mr. Anderson of Hillswick.6011. For whom do you fis
- 156 6054. Do they all fish for Mr. Anderson in the home fis.h.i.+ng?-[No answer.]6055. Do you know, or do you not? If you do not know, say so?- I believe they do; but I don't know.6056. Have you ever known any man who wished to engage to another fish-cur
- 157 6101. Before bringing out your half, there is a deduction of 5 per cent. for commission?-I don't know about that. I have heard of it, but I cannot say anything about it. I forget about these matters.6102. Do you understand the bargain you make, and t
- 158 6150. If she has such a balance, is it settled in goods?-I cannot answer that. If she wanted money she might get it, for anything that I know.6151. Do you pay a subscription to the s.h.i.+pwrecked Mariners'Society?-Yes; 8s. a year.6152. Have you ever
- 159 6195. Do you get enough meal off your own ground to serve you?-Generally I do. I have a pretty good farm-just as much as will hold us in meal.6196. How far do you live from Hillswick?-About four English miles.6197. When you go to Stenness, do you get your
- 160 6242. Do you think it is better for you to do that than to allow him to have an account of his own?-He is not capable of keeping accounts yet. He has had no education for that.6243. Had he no separate account in Mr. Adie's shop?-It was a mere trifle.
- 161 6288. Did it take a great many years to carry some of them through, and to enable them to pay up what had been advanced to them?-I cannot tell how their accounts may be standing at present.6289. Then you only suppose that some of them may have been able t
- 162 Hillswick, Northmavine, January 11, 1872, Mrs. MARY HUGHSON, examined.6338. Are you the wife of Andrew Hughson, a fisherman and tenant here?-Yes; he is a tenant to Mr. Gifford on the Busta estate.6339. Where do you live?-At Hillswick.6340. Is your husband
- 163 6383. Do you and your daughters agree to keep the same account?-Yes; the account is generally in my name.6384. Who does your husband work for?-He has been at the fis.h.i.+ng, and he has been doing land-work for different people. He was working last summer
- 164 6431. But it is a good many years since anything was put into that pa.s.s-book?-It is.6432. Is it your fault that the things were not entered?-He was not working for Mr. Anderson for some time about the time when the book was stopped. We were buying our m
- 165 6479. Why do you say that you never asked it?-Because I was just needing the cotton, and I took it.6480. But why do you say that you never asked for it? Do you mean that you would have got it if you had asked?-Yes; I might have got it.6481. How do you kno
- 166 6525. But you have stations at other places?-Hillswick is the business place, but we have fis.h.i.+ng stations at different places-at Roeness Voe, Hillyard, Hamnavoe, and Stenness.6526. Have you none at Ollaberry?-Only in winter time. We get some fish the
- 167 6574. Do you think you have that in your power by the terms of their leases?-I think there is only man who has a lease at present.6575. Or by the terms of the contract under which they sit on the land?-I think that is understood.6576. That is a part of th
- 168 6624. But many of them do?-Many of them do, I think.6625. Do they generally get further into your books, or do they very often clear off their debt as they grow older and get larger wages?-I think they often clear off their debt.6626. Is it boy at the com
- 169 6672. But if she had cash, she might purchase her goods in Lerwick or in Edinburgh, or possibly, if the trade were not in so few hands, there might be a greater compet.i.tion?-There might.6673. And she could lay out her cash in the way that was most to he
- 170 6720. But you would not retain it if he was only in debt to you for shop goods?-I think not.6721. What is your reason for making that distinction?-I think it is nothing but simple justice to myself. It would certainly be very unreasonable for a man to get
- 171 6770. Do you think that has been done to a greater extent than would have been the case if you had held out no such inducement to them?-I would fancy so.6771. Is there any other suggestion or statement you wish to make?-I think not.Hillswick, Northmavine,
- 172 6817. Did you ever know a man who asked for them?-No.[Page 165]6818. Did you ever know a man who was nine years in debt to a fish-merchant, with the debt always increasing, except yourself?- I could not positively say. I could not pick out any particular
- 173 6863. Have you got any of these lines this year?-No.6864. What did you do with these lines?-When we came back with the line, we got anything we required for it.6865. Did the line name any particular sum of money?-Yes.The haul was divided between four men,
- 174 6909. But you got as much goods as you wanted?-Yes.6910. What was the balance you received in cash at the end of these years?-I don't remember how much it was the first year; but in the second year I had 10s. to get.6911. In the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng you
- 175 6957. Did you ever ask for it except at settling time?-Yes.6958. How much did you ask for?-Small sums.6959. You said the reason why you went to Laurence Smith for some of your goods was, because you were employed by him: is it a general sort of understand
- 176 7004. Had you any money to get at the end of the first year?-No, not at the end of the first year; but the second year I had 10s. to get, and I got it.7005. How many years were you a beach boy?-Five years.7006. During that time you always had an account w
- 177 7051. For whom did you fish when you were at it?-The last time I was at the fis.h.i.+ng it was for Mr. Anderson.7052. Had you generally a balance in cash to get at the end of the year?-Occasionally.7053. Was there oftener a balance to get, or a balance ag
- 178 Hillswick, Northmaven: Friday, January 12, 1872.-Mr. Guthrie.DAVID GREIG, examined. 7100. You have been for a long time in the employment of Messrs.Hay & Co.?-I have been with them for nearly twenty-three years-first in their Lerwick house, and I have bee
- 179 7142. You say in your note that it includes men and boys?-Yes; there is a fee'd boy in each boat, and he is included in the general average. The fees are paid to the boys by the fishermen off their earnings.7143. Of the 98, how many will be boys so f
- 180 7190. How many tons of kelp do you sell?-I only took a note of it for last year, when there were twelve tons.7191. At what rate was it sold?-I did not get the account sales, but I understood the price paid in Shetland, free on board, was 5, 10s. per ton.7
- 181 7237. Do you understand that it is usual for the creditor to remove the cattle so marked from the premises of the debtor, and to keep them in his byre or yard for some time, and afterwards to return them upon loan, that removal being understood to be the
- 182 7283. Do fishermen continue for any length of time to fish for you without changing, or do you find that you have different fishermen in your employment in different years?-I have not been very long in the business, only since 1865. I am a new tenant comp
- 183 7332. You left that when they took it into their own hands?-Yes.7333. Had you any difficulty in getting a shop in which to carry on your business in this district cannot say that I had. I was offered this place by the Busta trustees. It was in a state of
- 184 7381. Did it extend to fis.h.i.+ng stations in Yell?-I don't think so.7382. Or further south to Reawick?-Not to my knowledge.7383. The fishermen, you think, do not move about so far as that?-No. Perhaps I may be allowed to say with regard to the spec
- 185 7425. Do you do a good deal in knitting?-Not a great deal, but I do some.7426. Where do you sell it?-At different shops; generally at Hillswick, and sometimes I sell it in Lerwick, and sometimes at Ollaberry.7427. What makes you go to Lerwick and Ollaberr
- 186 7472. You have not been cited to attend here to-day?-No.7473. But I understand you are willing and desirous to make some statement with regard to the effects of that system upon the habits of the people?-I am perfectly willing.7474. Do you think the syste
- 187 7519. Is there a shop at Brae?-Yes; a very considerable place of business, one of the best in the country. Any other shops that may exist in the district are commonly called peerie ( small) shops. They are very poor lads who have them, and what is more, t
- 188 7564. Do you swear that you never got corn delivered to you except in the dark which you have purchased for your horse and cows?-I have sworn already to the fact. There is no person in Hillswick who will sell corn and bring it to me except in the dark.If
- 189 7610. Don't you know that many fishermen have large accounts in the bank in Lerwick already?-I know that some of the fishermen have a little there; but I know that the large accounts are not in the banks. I know from their statements where they get 5
- 190 7656. How often does it happen in the course of a year that you give an order of that sort?-I could not say how often it happens. I only remember one other instance of it just now, besides the one I have referred to. The person called here, and I did not
- 191 7702. Had you spoken to Mr. Anderson about the matter in the interval?-I don't remember; perhaps I might.7703. You were trying to set up your business at that time?-Yes.7704. Don't you remember whether you applied to Mr. Anderson with regard to
- 192 7749. Did you know that he was in Mr. Adie's debt at that time?- Yes.7750. Do you know that Mr. Anderson took over the debt?-Yes.7751. Is it a common thing here for a fish-merchant to take over the debt of a fisherman who leaves another employer and
- 193 7794. Is that for goods in general, or for any particular kind of goods?-Just for general goods.7795. You heard the evidence that was given this morning?-Yes.7796. Is there any statement you have heard from any of the witnesses which you wish to correct,
- 194 7837. You are a shopman and bookkeeper in Mr. Anderson's establishment at Hillswick?-I am.7838. You are in the course of making up, at my request, a return from ledger D and ledger V, which are books containing the ledger accounts of the individual f
- 195 7881. Did you know any men who were behind, and had a balance against them at the end of the year?-I cannot say whether there were any in that position.7882. You were not in that position yourself?-Never.7883. What was the reason why the men generally dea
- 196 7929. Have you never been told that?-No.7930. Have you never suspected it?-No. I think they just go where they please themselves. Perhaps they might get a better bargain from another man than from me, and yet they might come to me or go past me.7931. Are
- 197 7975. Are the men bound to sell the small fish they get in the winter to any particular merchant?-They sell these fish to any one they like. There is no restriction upon them for that. Messrs.Pole, Hoseason, & Co. never say anything about it.7976. Do you
- 198 8019. But you are speaking of those who are in debt: what may be the proportion who are in that position?-I could not give an accurate answer as to the extent to which a state of permanent indebtedness prevails; but I know that it prevails to a much large
- 199 8067. Then is the remedy you suggest, a system of lease-holding?-Yes.8068. Is there any reason why that does not exist in Shetland already?-I don't know any particular reason for it.8069. Have the tenants in many places not been offered leases?-In so
- 200 8101. Is it not the case that some difficulty was put in the way of Harrison opening his shop?-I believe something was said about it, but there was no reality in it.8102. There was an objection made to it at first, was there not?- Yes; I believe there was