3797. Whether they were on an estate under your management or not?-Yes.
3798. Have you sometimes made such engagements with them?- Occasionally we have.
3799. Was that with individual men?-Yes, with individual men when they wanted advances.
3800. That is to say, at the end of the fishing season, when you found on settling up that there was a balance against a man, and that he continued to want further supplies from your shop, you would enter into an engagement with him to fish to you next year?-Yes.
3801. Would that engagement be a verbal one?-Sometimes written and sometimes verbal.
3802. In that case the advances would be in the form of goods supplied at your shops?-Both money and goods. We would give him money if he asked for it.
3803. But the bulk of the advances would be in goods?-No. Money would frequently be given when they wanted a special advance.
3804. In a case of that kind, are your shopkeepers instructed to make the advance to the men in either way?-If a man wants an advance of £1 or £2 we make it to him ourselves, and the people when they want goods, go to the shop for them.
3805. At what time are these advances generally made?-During the winter or the spring seasons, before the fishing begins again.
3806. And during the autumn, before the settlement for the years fishing has come round?-Yes. They frequently get money during the summer.