There is a reluctance on the part of the men to ask for an advance
of cash, arising partly from the feeling I have mentioned, and
partly from the habitual and natural reluctance of the merchant to
give it. When cash is given, it is for a special purpose, such as the
payment of rent or taxes, or the purchase of some article which the
merchant himself cannot supply.
[P. Peterson, 6845; J. Laurenson, 9872; W.G. Mouat, 10,249; C.
Nicholson, 11,977; l. Garriock, 12,589; J. Robertson, 8484; T.
Robertson, 8597, J. Harrison, 16,509.]
'4973. Does Mr. Grierson advance you money in the course of the
year before settlement when you ask for it?-He does.'
'4974. Can you not take that money and deal with it at any other
store that suits you better than Mr. Grierson's?-We do that very
often.'
'4975. Then how is it that you say that you have not the means of
dealing where you choose?-What I mean by that is, that we don't
have the chance to do it so often as we would like to do it; and we
don't like to be always running to him for money for the small
things we require. It is only in particular cases, when we require it
pound or so to help us, that we ask it from him.'
[James Flawes, 4973-5.]
'8522. You say you were not bound to do it: is it common for
men to feel that they are bound to do that?-Of course. If I was
employed by a curer or a merchant, and had been in the habit of
dealing with another before I was employed by him, I would
consider it something like a duty, in a moral point of view, to put my
money into his shop; and I have done so, although I have never
been obligated to do it.'
[P. Blanch, 8522.]
In some cases the evidence shows that cash advances during the
season have been absolutely refused, or that at least it is thought
useless to ask for them. Thus, says Malcolm Malcolmson:
'3004. Did you consider yourselves bound to take goods from
Mouat's store?-We could not do anything else.'
'3005. Why?-Because we had no money to purchase them with
from other stores. We received no money during the fishing
season.'
'3006. Did you ever ask for advances of money during the fishing
season?-Yes; but they were refused.'
'3007. Why?-Because he just would not give it. He gave no
reason, except that he could not give it.'
[M. Malcolmson.]
[W. Manson, 3040; J. Nicholson, 8747.]
The merchant, both in Faroe fishing and ling fishing, naturally
prefers to make any necessary advances in goods rather than
money:
.. 'They make advances, perhaps before, but as soon the men
engage to go to the fishing. It may be about this time, or it may
be a month previous to this, when they make the engagement to
go.'
'8526. And they make an advance then either in cash or in
out-takes?-I don't think they will likely give much cash. They
may give 8s. or 10s. in cash; but unless they know the man is to be
depended upon, I don't think they will give much more. They may
give £1 to a man until he has made some earning by his fishing;
but unless it is a case where they know it can be paid back again
by the man otherwise, they will not give it. He may pay it out of
his stock, for instance, or he may have some other means.'
[Peter Blanch.]
It was common in the past-though now cash is given more
readily, at least in Lerwick and by the leading merchants-to
refuse money before settlement, while the merchant was quite
willing to advance to any reasonable amount in goods. This
preference is sometimes shown very unmistakeably even in
settling for the winter fish. This applies to Faroe still more than
to ling fishing.
[W. Williamson, 821, 833; C. Sinclair, 1177; A. Tulloch, 5495; J.
Anderson, 6550; J. Goodlad, 1188; J, Manson, 2962.]
The truth as to cash advances is very succinctly stated by a large
employer, Mr. John Anderson of Hillswick, who says: 'I think they
would not get cash (before settlement) unless they were clear, or unless
we had good cause to know that they were really in
necessity for something.'
[J. Anderson, 6546; A. Sandison, 7076; J. Robertson, 8484; T. Hutchison, 12,637.]
But although witnesses do not speak of many cases of actual
refusal to advance money before settlement, it is well understood
that the merchant, to whom the men look for more or less liberal
support in bad seasons, prefers to make advances in goods. The
Shetland peasant is quick to comprehend and act upon such a
feeling; and hence the understanding is almost universal that cash
is asked for only within [Page 16 rpt.] very moderate limits, even
by unindebted men, and the particular purpose for which it is
wanted is generally specified.
There are, of course, differences in the readiness with which cash
is advanced by the various merchants, as the returns made to me
show. Thus there is unanimous testimony to the fact, that Mr.
John Bruce, jun., whose 'bondage' and prices were most loudly
complained of, never refuses money advances before settlement,
when asked, to the full amount of the fish at a man's credit, and, in
the case of a good man, to any reasonable amount he may ask for.
In some places, advances are mostly made at the settlement of the
previous year, to men who have got as much money as they
require.
[L. Smith, 4457, 4486; H. Gilbertson, 4533; G. Leslie, 4629; R.
Halcrow, 4676; A. Leslie, 4885; G. Williamson, 4905; J. Bruce,
Jun., 13,322; G. Irvine, 13, 162; J.L. Pole, 9391.]
The effect of the long settlements in compelling men to deal at the
merchant's shop is very clear to the men themselves, although they
do not appear to regard it as a great hardship, except where the
goods at a particular shop are of bad quality or high price. William
Goudie says:
'4298. Are you under any obligation to buy your goods from Mr.
Bruce's shop?-Not strictly speaking.'
'4299. What do you mean by "not strictly speaking?"-In one sense
we are not bound, yet in another sense we are bound. There is no
rule issued out that we must purchase our goods from there; but as
we fish for Mr. Bruce, and have no ready money, we can hardly
expect to run accounts with those who have no profit from us.
That confines many of us to purchase our goods from his shop.'
.....'We cannot expect to run a heavy account with a man who has
no profit from us, when we are uncertain whether we will be able
to clear that account or not. Therefore, as a rule, we do not run
heavy accounts for such things as meal, for instance, when our
crops are a failure, with any man except Mr. Bruce.'
[Wm. Goudie, 4928, 4307.]
[L. Smith, 4480, 4488.]
And another witness says:
'4669. But if the prices are so much higher at the Boddam shop
than elsewhere, why do you go there when you say you are not
obliged in any way to take goods from the Boddam shop? Why do
you not go to Gavin Henderson's for them?-I am obliged to go to
the Boddam shop and take my goods there if I have no money in
my pocket to buy them elsewhere.'
'4670. Does that often happen?-Perhaps not very often with me,
but it happens as a general thing among many of the men. I
believe there are as many men who have to go to Mr. Bruce's store
and take their goods there, in consequence of the want of money to
pay for them at other places, as there are who can go and open
accounts with other merchants and pay them yearly'
[R. Halcrow, 4669.]