Second Shetland Truck System Report Part 399

FAIR ISLE, 4729, 4739, 5770, 13,056, 13,233, 13,326, p.

330, f.n.

FAMILY supplied by dealer in men's absence (Faroe fis.h.i.+ng), 1172, 117S, 1188, 2955, 11,058.

FARM Produce, Disposal of, etc., 939, 949, 1294, 1300, 4673, 6383, 8870, 9873, 10,079, 10,169, 10,605, 12,778, 13,089, 13,814.

-Restrictions on sale of, 5271, 12,689.

FAROE Fis.h.i.+ng, Statements as to, 876, 923, 1157, 1172, 1178, 1183, 1214, 2929, 5726, 6900, 7860, 8515, 9371, 10,912, 11,268, 11,718, 12,011, 12,211, 12,262, 12,267, 12,295, 12,407, 13,557, 13,603, 13,625, 14,080, 15,107, 15,211, 15,227, 15,706, 16,310, 16,428, 16,490.

FEAR of landlord and merchant, 572, 9670, 12,334, 13,421, 13,472.

FINES, 1044, 3755, 3623, 3917, 4483, 4534, 4751, 9241, 12,695, 12,698.

FLAUS, Mrs. Helen (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p. 38), lives in Lerwick; dresses shawls for knitters, 1973; and knits, 1973; confirms Mrs. Arcus (p. 33), 1974; sells for knitters to merchants, and gets lines, 1985; or sees it marked in a book, 1986; can always get money if she wishes it, but cannot say if it is the custom to give it, 1998; believes that if hosiery were paid in money, a less price would be given, 2004, 2012.

FLAWES, James (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 121), fisherman and tenant at Rennesta, near Quendale, 4910; bound to fish, 4911; on pain of expulsion, 4914; current price of fish fixed by four leading merchants, 4919; other merchants vary, and sometimes give more, 4923-4931; knows cases of men being threatened for fis.h.i.+ng to other merchants, 4935-4947; liberty money, 4948; men not obliged to deal at store, 4971; goods dearer there, 4978; thinks the price given for fish is not sufficiently high, 4988; boys are bound to act as beach boys, 5000, 5001.

FLEMING, Charles (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 438), draper and buyer for Messrs. Maclaren, Son, & Co., High Street, Edinburgh, 17,042; has had eighteen years' experience--two as a buyer, 17,044; gives evidence as to value of samples of cotton shown him, 17,047, 17,070.

FLOUR, Price of, etc., 9069, 9899, 11,847, 14,966, 15,043, 16,862.

FORDYCE, Mrs. John Winwick or (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p.

407), lives in Chromate Lane, Lerwick, 16,038; knits with her own wool, 16,040; gets goods or money as she requires, 16,065; but the custom is to pay in goods, 16,066.

FRASER, Rev. James (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 194), a clergyman at Sullem for twenty-four years, 8007; is well acquainted with the people, 8008; and the systems of payment and credit purchases practised, 8009; thinks the effect of these on the people is not very good, 8010; the large amount of bad debts in [Page 442] merchant's books cause him to charge higher prices, 8011, 8012; the credit system is an annoyance to the merchant, 8016; and injurious to the independence of the people, 8022; does not think fis.h.i.+ng and farming could be separated, 8029; payment of hosiery in cash would be no advantage, as a rule, to the knitters, 8035; goods given in exchange for hosiery dearer, 8040; thinks a system of agricultural improvements would be the best thing for Shetland, as men would then be able to supply their own meal, and be more independent of curer, 8052; a system of leaseholding necessary, 8067; price for fish fixed at the beginning of season would not be an advantage to men, 8071; cannot see any advantage in periodical advances during season, 8074; in letter sent afterwards to Commissioner, insists again strongly on agricultural improvements as the most necessary thing in Shetland, p. 197.

GARRIOCH, James (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 213), shopkeeper to Hay & Co. in Fetlar, 8762; price of meal, 8766; men are not bound to fish, 8781; beach boys, 8792; whisky, 8833; kelp, 8838; paid either in cash or goods, 8845; purchases cattle, 8849; pays in cash, 8850.

GARRIOCK, Lawrence (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 335), is a fisherman at Scatness, 13,454; lives on the property of Mr. Bruce of Simbister; fishes for Hay & Co., but is not bound, 13,455; deals sometimes at store, 13,457; and runs an account, 13,461; paid balance in cash at settlement, 13,462; is satisfied with price and quality of the goods, 13,465; has no pa.s.sbook, 13,470; men are afraid to give evidence before commissioner because of curers, 13,472; they are afraid of being ejected, 13,474; landlord takes one-third of oil of whales captured by men, 13,478; thinks this unfair, 13,479; landlord demands it, under threat of raising their rents, 13,482.

GARRIOCK, Lewis F. U. (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 302), partner of Garriock & Co., general merchants and fish-curers at Reawick, 12,293; gives in a written statement, 12,295, stating that the firm's general store is Reawick, and they have besides two smaller shops: Messrs. Garriock last season cured the fish from ten smacks at Faroe, etc., and five smaller ones at Orkney and home fis.h.i.+ng, to the gross value of 4600; there is no obligation on men to deal at store; in bad seasons merchants lose heavily by bad debts; merchants would greatly prefer a cash system, with payment on delivery, but such a system would lead to fixed wages; men curing their own fish are free in selling. It is the exception, and not the rule, for men to be indebted; never knew liberty money paid, 12,307; tenants are never interfered with in sale of hosiery, cattle, or farm produce, 12,346; nor bound to deal at store, 12,347; Burra men generally go to the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng, 12,362; not to avoid the restrictions laid on the ling fis.h.i.+ng, 12,365; they are bound by their leases to deliver fish to Messrs. Hay, 12,367; Messrs. Garriock, at one time issued a circular at Foula, stating that they wished to ascertain the views of the people as to whether they wished to cure their own fish, stating at the same time that if they did, Messrs.

Garriock's store would be discontinued, 12,380; the men unanimously stated they did not wish such conditions, 12,381; men prefer to bring their fish to the princ.i.p.al merchant, because he can command the largest market, and therefore give the best price, 12,400; young men going to the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng require to have their outfit on credit, 12,407; in the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng the men and masters are actually joint-adventurers, only the merchant takes all the risk, 12,418, 12,419; in home cod fis.h.i.+ng the men are settled with in the same manner as the Faroe fishermen, 12,468, 12,472; the winter fis.h.i.+ng could not be much increased, 12,478; long-line fis.h.i.+ng from the bank would be impracticable in winter, 12,490; Greenland fis.h.i.+ng, 12,506; was formerly a nursery for the merchant service, but now young men do not go, as the Board of Trade regulations prevent them from getting outfit on credit, 12,511, 12,512; large advances are made in bad season to men, 12,547; men usually continue to fish until their debt is paid off, 12,549; the system of fis.h.i.+ng on shares is the best, 12,608; believes men would refuse to adopt weekly payments, 12,610.

GARRIOCK, Peter (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 385), agent in Lerwick, 15,209; sells fis.h.i.+ng materials, 15,210; is engaged only in the Faroe fis.h.i.+ng, 15,211; men deal with certain other merchants for goods which be guarantees, 15,212; and the amount of their account is deducted at settlement, 15,214; occasionally receives a commission, 15,215; many men are not in a position to require advances, but all take them, 15,223; in the Faroe trade, merchants often have to give the men a price as high or even higher than they themselves get, 15,227.

GARRIOCK, William (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 411), lives in Sandsting parish, 16,216; serves in Naval Reserve in Lerwick, 16,217; was bred a seaman, 16,218; has princ.i.p.ally gone to Greenland and Davis Straits, 16,219; has s.h.i.+pped from various agents, 16,222; always got his outfit from agent with whom he served, 16,224; and supplies for his family, 16,225; always got cash if he asked for it, 16,229; at settlement agent sometimes attends at the Custom-house to receive payment of his account, and at other times the men go down to his shop, and settle it after they have been paid, 16,239; never knew an agent refuse to give money, 16,243; men may buy their outfits where they please, 16,270; has bought his from a dealer other than the one he engaged with, 16,272; an impression exists that indebted men have the best chance of being engaged--cannot say if it is true, 16,280, 16,281; at the end of one year he had a balance against him--he sailed next year under another merchant, and found that the account had been transferred to the new agent's books, 16,299.

GATHERER, John (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 391), is collector of customs at Lerwick; strongly condemns the truck system, 15,866; before 1867 wages of men from Greenland fishery were seldom paid at the Customhouse, 15,871; and in almost every case the men ran large accounts, 15,872; this system he believes was actually illegal, 15,881; and was only carried on because the agents desired a profit on the men's supplies, 15,885; since 1867 men have received full payment in cash at the Custom-house, 15,892; but there is much delay in payment, 15,893; does not believe this arises so much from the men's reluctance (15,894), as the agent's unwillingness to have a settlement, 15,896; though the regulations are outwardly observed, the agents still continue to have a virtual security for their accounts, and agents admit that their main inducement to accept the agency is the profit to be got on supplies to the men, 15,898; thinks young men could get their outfits without the help of the agents, 15,910; as any merchant would give a seaman credit if he knew the agent did not enjoy a monopoly of giving supplies, 15,914.

GAUNSON, George (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 215), fisherman in Fetlar and tenant of land, 8861; does not know if men in Fetlar are at liberty to fish--gets a good price from Messrs. Hay, and never inquired, 8862; generally has a balance in his favour at the end of the season, 8869; always got money or goods as he wanted, 8869; sells farm produce and cattle as he pleases, 8872, 8874; goods at store are good and reasonable, 8887; does not think men are bound to fish, 8894; hosiery, 8896.

GEORGESON, George (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 295), merchant at Bayhall in the parish of Walls, 12,026; for twenty-seven years, 12,027; princ.i.p.ally deals with fishermen and farmers for ready money, 12,028; no men are bound to fish for him--he supplies his fishers with goods, and settles yearly, 12,029; does not do much barter, 12,037; eggs looked on as money, 12,038; never pays for hosiery in cash, 12,039; there is no profit, and sometimes a loss on it, 12,041; men commonly cure their own fish, 12,056; and sell them as they choose, 12,057; but are expected to take them to proprietor, 12,058; could not get men to fish for him, because they considered themselves tied to landlord, 12,080; in ling fis.h.i.+ng the price was, thirty years since, fixed at the beginning of the season, but the practice died out, 12,090; at that time men were all free, 12,091; thinks the price of green fish should be fixed at the beginning of season, 12,104; it is an understanding amongst men that they shall buy their goods where they sell their fish, 12,112; men curing for themselves are more to be relied on as customers at his shop, and are more persevering, 12,135; people in Shetland are very temperate, 12,148.

GEORGESON, Ross (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 412), is skipper of a Faroe smack, lives in Scalloway, 16,310; has gone to Faroe fis.h.i.+ng for 15 or 16 years, 16,312; lately in the employment of Mr.

Leask, 16,311; has always had an account with Mr. Leask when in his smacks, 16,314; gets the balance that is due in cash, 16,321; and advances throughout year, 16,322; would get payment in cash in full if he wished it, 16,328; banks his money with Mr. Leask, 16,330; never knew of men not taking goods from agent, 16,340.

GIFFORD, Francis (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 391), seaman in Bressay, 15,488; goes to sealing and whaling, 15,489; under various agents, 15,490; is now paid at the Custom-house, 15,491; previously settled with agent at his shop, 15,492; got balance sometimes in cash, 15,500; has his account read [Page 443] over to him now before going to the Custom-house, and on leaving pays it, 15,515, 15,516; thinks agents like to re-engage men who are indebted to them, 15,222.

GIFFORD, Mrs. Margaret Smith or (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p.

410), lives in Lerwick, 16,203; knits haps, 16,204; for Mr. Sinclair, 16,205; sold the last for 6s. in goods, 16,209; in buying articles occasionally for cash, has found no difference in prices, 16,214.

GIFFORD, Thomas (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 197), is factor on the estate of Busta, 8077; the largest in Shetland, 8078; very few tenants have leases, 8083; they are free to fish, 8084; there is no opposition to the opening of shops, 8097; knows of no arrangement by which merchants become bound for the debts of men on hiring them, 8126; but there was one formerly, 8127; sales of cattle, 8130-8134; marking and selling of cattle for debt, 8135; not common, but is practised, 8136; believes short settlements would be beneficial to the character of the people, 8147; but does not think they would be practicable, 8149; the payment of hosiery in goods is a bad system, 8156.

GILBERTSON, Gilbert (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 230), fisherman and tenant at Harra, Mid Yell, 9553; is free to fish, 9555; generally deals with merchant for whom he fishes, 9557; in some cases payment at an earlier time in the season would be an advantage, 9569; never knew fish-curer refuse money for payment of rent, 9572; thinks weekly payment would be an advantage, as they would keep men from incurring debt, and enable them to go to the best market, 9579; goods are dearer at merchant's store, 9583.

GILBERTSON, Henry (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 111), is a fisherman at Dunrossness, 4497; corroborates Wm. Goudie (p.

105), 4502; although a lodger with his brother-in-law, is bound to fish for landlord, 4508; because his brother-in-law would be warned if he did not, 4509; if at liberty he could make a larger profit, 4516, 4517; prices at the store are higher, 4542.

-(recalled, p. 117). Was at Fair Isle three weeks previously, 4729; and heard great complaints there of the high prices charged at the store, 4734.

GILBERTSON, Henry (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 333), sailor and post-office keeper at Virkie, near Sumburgh, 13,403; men in neighbourhood are bound to fish for tacksmen, and most of them deal at store, 13,404; they are not compelled, unless by want of cash, 13,405; has purchased goods at store, 13,407; quality variable, prices higher than at other places, 13,408; men are afraid to give evidence before commissioner, 13,421; their princ.i.p.al complaints are that the settlement is made too late in the season, and that they have not liberty, 13,425; men 43 years ago were bound to fish, and the fish were so badly managed that they only got about 3s. 11d. per cwt. for them--men were then freed on payment of 15s. per head of liberty money, 13,430; in 1860 men were again bound, 13,431.

GOODLAD, Alexander (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 414), is a seaman in Lerwick, 16,389; requires to deal with sealing and whaling agent, as his half-pay notes are not sufficient to maintain his family, and no one but the agent will give him credit, 16,390; has endeavoured to obtain credit from other dealers, 16,394; and has generally been refused, 16,395; and told that he should take his goods from the agent from whom he got his s.h.i.+p, 16,405; men generally deal with agent if they think his goods are cheap and good; but if not, they take advances and buy elsewhere, 16,413; looks over his account with merchant before going to the Custom-house for payment, and settles on coming back, 16,417, 16,418.

GOODLAD, Gilbert (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 24), fisherman in Burra, and tenant, 1179; corroborates previous witnesses, 1181, 1182; goes to Faroe fis.h.i.+ng, 1183; his family is supplied by his agent in his absence, 1188; but cannot easily get money, 1191; knitting, 1201; paid in goods, 1202; knitters cannot get money, 1202-1204; the people are so poor that merchants have complete power over them, 1206; Faroe fis.h.i.+ng system, 1214-1217.

GOUDIE, George (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 124), fisherman and tenant at Garth, 5032; corroborates James Flawes (p.121), 5034; meal, 5044; is dearer at store than elsewhere, 5045; tobacco also dearer, 5053.

GOUDIE, William (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 105), fisherman at Toab, 4255; obliged to fish for landlord, 4256; never knew of fines being imposed, 4274; no obligation as to any produce other than fish, 4279, 4280; price is fixed at settlement, 4283; is not bound to deal with merchant, but is compelled by the present system, 4298, 4299; the quality of store articles is good, but they are dear, 4313- 4317; price of meal, 4316-4332; never had a pa.s.s-book, 4337; under the present system men have an advantage in bad seasons, 4363; boys are obliged to act as beach boys, 4367-4369; whales driven ash.o.r.e by men, 4405; complains that a third of the oil is appropriated by the landlord, 4406; thinks the men should have liberty and leases of their lands, 4413, 4414; and that it would benefit men to let them cure for themselves, 4424.

GRAY, Charles (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 253), mason at Bailiasta, 10,412; worked formerly in chromate of iron quarries, 10,413; wages paid in cash, 10,419; has heard of men getting lines, 10,424; does not know what for, 10,426-10,428.

GRAY, Robert (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 262), is a fisherman to Mr. Sandison, 10,751; at Snarravoe, 10,752; but for his a.s.sistance, would have been starved in two bad seasons, 10,753; gets cash when he asks it, but cannot ask much, as he is indebted, 10,763, 10,764.

GREEN, William (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 145), is a boat-skipper, 5845; fishes at Stenness, 5846; delivers fish to dealer, 5847; corroborates the evidence of Mr. Adie (p. 138), 5850, 5851; does not think a shorter settlement would be an advantage, 5853; deals at merchant's store, 5856; goods not dearer than at other shops, 5862-5864.

GREIG, Clementina (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p. 283), lives at Braehead, Scalloway, with her sister, 11,527; has supported herself by knitting for a very long time, 11,529; never got any money for hosiery, except in sales to visitors, 11,531; always uses her own wool, 11,532; merchants pay insufficient prices, 11,533; even in a great emergency could not get money from merchant, 11,535; merchant will only sell worsted for money, 11,545; has offered to take a lower price for hosiery in money, but could not get it, 11,555; women occasionally exchange goods for provisions, 11,559.

GREIG, David (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 170), is manager for Hay & Co. at North Roe, 7100; fishermen hold their land on the understanding that they fish for dealer, 7111; tenants fis.h.i.+ng for other curers not punished, 7119; never knew a man leave employment because of being indebted, 7167; kelp, 7176-7179; purchase of boats, 7208-7211; winter fis.h.i.+ng, 7212-7227; cattle, 7228; marking of cattle for debt, 7235-7238; sales of cattle, 7248; are conducted on perfectly fair principles, 7253-7255; increase of paupers, 7272.

GRIERSON, Andrew John (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 379), is proprietor of the estate of Quendale, 15,048; and fish-curer for eleven years, 15,049; Mr. Ogilvy Jamieson keeps his shop at Quendale for supply of fishermen and neighbours, 15,050; hires no boats--men have their own, 15,053; tenants in Sandsting are perfectly free, so long as they pay their rents, 15,060; men at Quendale hold their ground under obligation to fish, 15,061; they are satisfied, 15,062; thinks that it is beneficial for tenants if the landlord is a good business man, 15,064; rents would be raised if men were not bound to deliver their fish, 15,065; men salting their own fish would turn out a useless and inferior article, and would still depend for supplies and for a market upon the merchant, and it would only encourage a system of dishonesty, 15,068; men having liberty are generally more deeply in debt than others, 15,071; a ready money system would not keep them out of debt, 15,078; if cash payment for fish were enforced by law, men would likely wish to revert to the old system, 15,081; men will not stick to a bargain, 15,082; men are not so poor as represented, and often have deposits in banks, 15,090; has sometimes exacted liberty money, 15,100; expects sons of tenants to serve on beach, 15,102; cannot understand how small dealers can give a price for fish higher than the current one, 15,103; fishermen are very difficult to deal with, 15,106.

HALCROW, Jane (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p. 103), lives in Sandwick, 4166; knits for Mr. R. Linklater with his wool, 4167; is paid in goods, 4168; once asked but never got money, 4169, 4170 she could get goods cheaper at other houses, 4173-4186.

HALCROW, Jane (a.n.a.lysis of her evidence, p. 178), lives at Hillswick with her mother, 7418; who is a widow, 7419; and.

tenant of land, 7420; knits, 7425; is paid generally in goods, 7430; gets a little money and stamps, 7431; would prefer, but never asked, payment in cash, 7436; eggs, 7448; are paid for in cash if asked, 7449; tea, 7452.

HALCROW, John (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 324), fisherman at Levenwick and tenant under Mr. Bruce,. 13,080; formerly bound to fish for Robert Mouat, 13,082; the articles at his store were bad and overpriced, 13,085; most men were bound to deal with him, 13,088; and to take all their farm produce to him, 13,089; had to deal because they could not get money, 13,090; he gave money for cattle but very seldom otherwise, 13,091 - [Page 444] 13,093; at settlement he would not pay money, 13,102; paid rent to Mouat two years in advance, and when he failed had to pay it again, 13,105.

HALCROW, Peter (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 392), seaman, 15,546; goes on sealing and whaling voyages, 15,547; generally gets his outfit from the agent he engages with, 15,549; on one occasion could not get balance and an allowance from the s.h.i.+pwrecked Mariners' Fund in cash, 15,552-15,568; corroborates Francis Gifford (p. 391), 15,585; men indebted get a s.h.i.+p more readily, 15,587.

HALCROW, Robert (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 115), fisherman and tenant at Dunrossness, 4646; is bound to deliver his fish to landlord, 4647; corroborates William Goudie (p. 105), 4647-4649; knitting--thinks that to some knitters payment in cash would be an advantage, while to others goods are better, 4650; when new tacksman came to Dunrossness, notice was given by a bill in a public place that men were bound to fish for him, and would be removed if they did not, 4559, 4560; goods are somewhat dearer at fish-curer's store, 4662-4668; but there is no obligation to deal there, 4671; and men have freedom in disposing of their farm stock, 4673-4683; short warning is a great hards.h.i.+p, 4688; does not think payment for fish on delivery would be an advantage except to young men, 4692; meal is dearer at store than elsewhere, 4706-4718.

HARCUS, William (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 288), is a small merchant in Scalloway, 11,782; deals with fishermen, but does not buy fish, 11,783; does not give credit, 11,784; his trade would be improved by the introduction of a cash system, 11,786; his weekly drawings are larger at settlement time, 11,794; does not think weekly or monthly payments would be practicable, 11,797; buys lobsters and oysters, and pays in cash, 11,800-11,803; hosiery is a bad speculation, 11,824; has tried the plan of giving meal for it, and found he had no profit, 11,824; hosiery should be paid in cash, 11,826; settlements in Shetland take a long time, owing to the men's ignorance of arithmetic, 11,833-11,836; when whales are drawn ash.o.r.e by the men, one-third of the oil is taken by the landlord--thinks this unfair, 11,856-11,860. In letter afterwards sent to commissioner, says (p. 290) that he is in favour of short settlements, even if for no other reason than that they would benefit his trade; but thinks them impracticable at present owing to the distance of the fis.h.i.+ng grounds from the curers' headquarters, and time would be lost which the crews could not afford to lose.

The ignorance of men in arithmetic would also be a hindrance.

HARPER, James (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 252), is a fisherman to Spence & Co. at Norwick, 10,384; and tenant, 10,385; two prices are charged at store for cash and credit, 10,393, 10,394; was a skipper under another dealer formerly, and changed his employment because he was made to believe that he was obliged to work for his landlord, 10,402; finds now that he was not bound by his lease, 10,402; but was threatened indirectly at the time, 10,405.

HARPER, John (a.n.a.lysis of his evidence, p. 113), is a fisherman at Lingord, 4573; and tenant of land, 4574; is bound to deliver his fish, 4575; corroborates William Goudie (p. 105), Laurence Smith (p. 110), and Henry Gilbertson (p. 111), 4576, 4577; men would like liberty to cure their own fish, 4584; thinks they would make a larger profit, 4588-4603; states that men are obliged to work for landlord three days in summer, three in harvest, and three in spring, in all nine days annually, without receiving either pay or victual, 4605.