13,347. Will you have 20 or 30 of these accounts in a year?-No. There may be four or five accounts for crews in that way, but they are the exception. As a rule, we pay for the fish when we receive them.
Boddam, Dunrossness, January 26, 1872, OGILVY JAMIESON, examined.
13,348. You are shopkeeper at Mr. Grierson's shop at Quendale?-I am.
13,349. Do you also act as factor or overseer on his property?- Generally I do.
13,350. Do you keep all the books connected with the fish-curing and shop business?-Yes.
13,351. How many fishermen are employed by Grierson?- Perhaps from 80 to 100 hands, men and boys.
13,352. How many do you employ in the curing?-Generally 14 or 16.
13,353. When you take on a boy as a beach boy, is he paid by a fee?-Yes.
13,354. That is settled like the fishermen's accounts at the end of the season?-Generally; but sometimes they want to know their wages before and they are told what they are.
13,355. Do you ever pay these fees as advances, or during the course of the season?-Generally, when they require anything, they get it from the shop, and the balance is paid in cash, or the whole amount is paid in cash if they have taken no advances.