16,970. Do you say that at some places the free boats are paid just as they deliver their fish?-Yes.
16,971. Where is that?-At Burntisland, for instance. When boats come up from Anstruther or Buckhaven, they deliver their fish, and we pay them on delivery, the same day.
16,972. Are these fish for curing, or for the fresh market?-For both.
16,973. Does that lead to any difficulty?-None whatever. I have had about twenty-eight years' experience of that system of paying daily.
16,974. I suppose it saves you keeping accounts with the fishermen?-We keep an account of the fish we have received, but we have no running accounts with the men.
16,975. What kind of fish do you refer to as being delivered in that way at Burntisland?-Principally herrings.
16,976. Do you take delivery of cod and haddocks in that way too?-No; it is very seldom that boats come up in that way with them. When they do, they sell them to the inhabitants and get cash for them.
16,977. Have you had any management of the fisheries at Anstruther?-Yes; I was two winters there, during the time of the winter fishing, buying herrings, and we paid in the same way as we do at Burntisland-just when the fishermen liked to call for their money, which was generally weekly. Some boats were paid daily, but others did not come asking for the money until the end of the week.
16,978. The quantity of fish delivered was marked down in the fish-book each time?-Yes.
16,979. So that you knew exactly how much the men had to get?- Yes. The price was extended in the book.