Second Shetland Truck System Report Part 272

11s. 71/2d.

Tea, 1s. 4d.; sugar, 61/2d.; 01 101/2 Tobacco, 8d.; oatmeal, 1s. 3d.,01 11 Soap, 21/2d.; sund. 51/2d.,00 8 Cotton, 11d., 00 11 0541/2 Cash,063 01171/2

.

8s. 3d.

Tobacco, 0 1 0 Tea, 008 Cash, 0 6 7 0 8 3

[Page 280]

.

8s. 3d.

Oatmeal, 1s. 101/2d.; tobacco, 6d. 0241/2 Stamps. 2d.; paper, 21/2d.,0041/2 Soap and sod, 4d.; sugar, 21/2d.,0061/2 Shoe-brush, 6d, 006 Handkf., 10d.; loaf, 4d.; syrup, 3d.,015 Soda and thd., 11/2d. 0011/2 Acct., 1s.; cash, 1s. 11d., 02 11

.

17s. 5d.

Rum, 6d.; cash, 1s.,01 6 Do. 9d.; tea, 1s. 2d.,01 11 Tea, 1s. 2d.; sugar, 6d.,01 8 051 Cash, . . 0 12 4 0175]

These are notes made at the time when the settlement was made with the men.

11,400. Do you remember when these settlements took place?- No. I merely found these papers in the shop, and brought them here. It may have been about three or four weeks ago, or it may have been longer.

11,401. Has there not been a much larger amount of cash paid in these cases than is usual in such transactions?-It is larger than in some cases.

11,402. And you might have found other slips or notes in which the whole amount was taken out in goods?-I don't know about that. But that is the way in which we settle, and the fish are afterwards charged to my employers.

11,403. Is it not often the case that there is not more than 1s. paid in cash on a transaction of 8s. or 10s.?-Sometimes that is the case.

11,404. Is it not oftener under 1s. than over it?-I could hardly say about that.

11,405. Is it not oftener under 1s. 6d. than over it?-I should say that it is.

11,406. Can you say that, in half the cases that occur, there is a cash balance paid at all?-No. I would not say that there was so little cash paid as that.

11,407. But you could not say to the contrary?-I could not say either the one way or the other.

11,408. In the case of a separate and distinct sale of fish, such as we have been speaking of, the price is paid in full, and there are no deductions of any kind to be made?-None.

11,409. The boats and the lines are the men's?-Yes, unless some of them may have got credit for their boats and lines.

11,410. Do you hire out boats for the winter fis.h.i.+ng?-No; the men have boats of their own.

11,411. But they may have got the lines at your shop, and they may be standing against them there?-Yes, either standing against them, or they may have settled for them with Hay & Co.

11,412. In that case you may retain the price of the winter fish to meet the price of the lines or boat?-Yes, if the men wish that to be done.

11,413. Or if you have a heavy debt against the men, you may retain the price of the fish whether the men choose or not?-That is never done by me.

11,414. Has there never been an arrangement or understanding by which a portion of the fish delivered to you in that way is retained on account of the lines or boats supplied to the men?-No, not in winter.

11,415. Have either you or Messrs. Hay & Co. any interest at all in the boats used in the winter or spring fis.h.i.+ng?-I have none. I have only a share of one herring boat. I receive a salary from Messrs. Hay.

11,416. Have Messrs. Hay any interest in the boats used in the winter fis.h.i.+ng?-No; the boats belong to the men, and they have them on their own account.

11,417. Have you an interest in several of the boats engaged in the summer fis.h.i.+ng?-No. As I have said, I have only one share of a herring boat.

11,418. You have no share in any of the smacks that go to the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng?-No.

11,419. Are you not part-owner of some boats employed in the summer fis.h.i.+ng?-No.

11,420. Were you ever so?-No. I have never had any share of any boat except the herring boat that I have a share in now.

11,421. Have you the management of Messrs. Hay's curing establishment here?-Yes.

11,422. There is a large curing establishment here, with beaches?-Yes.

11,423. How many people are employed there in the fis.h.i.+ng season?-It depends on the success of the fis.h.i.+ng in the summer, and the amount of fish we get.

11,424. How many were employed last year?-I could not say exactly. Perhaps about ten or a dozen were employed about the beaches at Scalloway.

11,425. Had you the superintendence of the beaches at Burra?- No; there were men appointed for that.

11,426. With regard to the ten or a dozen employed at Scalloway, were those men, women and boys?-Yes.

11,427. Were they paid weekly wages?-Yes. They were paid every Sat.u.r.day, either by me or at the shop.

11,428. Were they paid in money every Sat.u.r.day?-No, they had to get supplies during the week; and at the end of the week any balance they had was paid in cash.

11,429. Was there generally a balance due?-It was very rarely that there was. They had generally to get supplies to the full amount of their wages.

11,430. Is payment made to them in the shop at the counter?- Yes. Their advances are entered against them in the book, and then their wages are placed to their credit and if they have anything to get it is given to them.

11,431. Is there a separate ledger account for each of these parties?-Yes, every one has an account, and when he gets advances these are put to that account.

11,432. Can you say that any money ever pa.s.ses at any settlement with these beach people?-Sometimes there has been a little, but not a great deal.

11,433. Will their average wages be 8s. or 9s. a week?-Not so much. In summer the women get 10d. a day, and in winter 1s.

We have a few people employed in winter, but not so many as in summer.

11,434. Are you engaged in the hosiery business at all?-No.

11,435. Do you purchase any quant.i.ty of b.u.t.ter and eggs from the people in the district?-Not a great quant.i.ty. There are no cattle in the village to give b.u.t.ter, but I buy a small quant.i.ty from people in the district.

11,436. Is that paid for in goods?-Yes.

11,437. Do the Burra people bring b.u.t.ter and eggs to you sometimes?-Very little. They sometimes bring a few eggs in summer, and they always get goods in return for them.

11,438. Do the Burra people bring all their eggs to you?-No; they are at liberty to sell them to any person they choose.

11,439. When settling time comes, what have you to do with the men who have accounts in your books?-I send in a note of each man's account to Messrs. Hay, at Lerwick.