16,920. What are you?-I am a fish-curer in Burntisland.
16,921 Were you for a long time in the employment of Mr. Methuen?-Yes.
16,922. Have you again gone into his employment?-Yes.
16,923. Are you acquainted with the system of agreements between the fish-merchants and fishermen throughout all the Scotch fishings, both on the east and west coast?-Yes; I have had a good deal of experience of them.
16,924. Had you anything to do with Mr. Methuen's fishing transactions in Shetland?-Not particularly. I occasionally sent stock there when ordered, such as empty barrels and salt to supply the stations.
16,925. How long is it since these stations were given up?-About two years ago, I think.
16,926. Do you refer to the stations in the Sandwick district?- Yes.
16,927. Had Mr. Methuen any shop there?-No.
16,928. Do you know how the fishermen there got their supplies during the fishing season?-I understand that a party who held the land where the fishermen resided agreed for the boats with the proprietor, and paid the proprietor at the end of the season, and then the proprietor settled with the men. If they required any goods during the fishing season, I think they got a line from the proprietor to go to the shops in Lerwick or Scalloway for them.
16,929. But I thought it was Mr. Methuen who agreed the boats?- I think that most of the boats that he had were agreed in that way.