13,395. What is the price of your tobacco?-1s. and 1s. 2d. per quarter for mid and small tobacco. We sell it at 31/2d. and 4d. per ounce for single ounces and 6d. and 7d. for two ounces.
13,396. Do your men own their own boats?-Yes, entirely.
13,397. You not hire out any boats?-Not any.
13,398. Do you sell the boats to them?-No; they buy them for themselves, or Mr. Grierson buys them for them.
13,399. Do you make an advance to them for the purchase of boats?-Yes; we generally give a line as security to any person supplying boats to the men.
13,400. Does the builder obtain the payment from you?-Yes. He is paid direct by us in cash.
13,401. Do you get repayment from the fishermen by instalments?-Not by instalments; they sometimes pay it all up in one year, but sometimes when a man is in arrears it runs over a good many years before it is paid. The sum he is due for his boat is included along with the rest of his dealings.
13,402. Is it the small boats that are used at Quendale?-No; we have mostly large boats now, which cost about £20.
Boddam, Dunrossness, January 26, 1872, HENRY GILBERTSON, examined.
13,403. You keep the post office at Virkie near Sumburgh?-I do. I am a tailor to trade.