7830. Do any of the rents of the Busta estate pass through your hands?-No.
7831. But the rents to be paid to the factor would probably, where due by fishermen, be paid out of these payments by you?-I think so; but not necessarily in every case.
7832. Have you any arrangement with the factor about the rents of your fishermen?-None at all.
7833. That is quite an independent concern?-Quite.
7834. I think you have prepared some statement with regard to the
amount of debts due by your fishermen during the last four or five
years?-Yes. I have prepared the following statement, showing
the number of men in debt, the total amount of their debts, and the
average amount due by each, taking it as a whole:-
No. of Men Total
Year. in debt. amount of Average.
debt.
1868 74 £1044 £14, 2s.
1869 79 1017 13
1870 72 942 13
1871 64 782 12, 4s.
7835. That shows that eight men had wiped off their debt altogether between 1870 and 1871?-Yes. That will prove, I think, that they are not quite so black as they have been painted. They are improving a little. The largest balance was £49, 14s. 21/2d. in 1868, which was reduced to £41, 9s. 9d. in 1871.
7836. The amount of indebtedness at Ollaberry is not included in these figures?-No. The figures I have now given apply only to the Hillswick men, who number about 125.* Four of the indebted men have left since, and are not clear of debt. That would reduce the amount by about £50 in all of the years except the first.
* In a note subsequently received from Mr. Anderson, he says: 'I find, in going over my books, that instead of 125 men, as I believed fished for me last year, I have actually 147. These I find are made up by fee'd men, and several crews who cured and dried their own fish, and from whom I purchased their fish so dried at the end of the season.
[Page 191]
Hillswick, Northmavine, January 12, 1872, ARTHUR
SANDISON, examined.