I have said that some of the employers are prepared with
arguments to vindicate the system of annual settlements. The
favourite argument is, that it affords the men, or at least a certain
class of them, protection against their own improvidence. For
instance, Mr. P.M. Sandison says:
'5235. Does not that system of long settlements induce people to
be a little careless about their money, and improvident?-There
are a certain class who, if they had money, would spend it. That
class are pretty well looked after by the fish-curer; they are only
allowed advances in such small proportions as enable them to get
through the year, and to be as little in arrear as possible at the end.
If these same parties had the money in their hands, I am certain it
would not last them so long as it does in the fish-curer's hands.'
'5236. That is to say, he will only allow them certain amount of
supplies from the shop?-Yes, so much a week or a fortnight.'
'5237. Or cash if they want it, but to a limited extent?-Yes; I
should think that cash would be given to a free man.'
'5238. But not to a bound fisherman?-Not unless it was for a
necessary purpose-to purchase something, for instance, which
the merchant cannot supply.'
[P. Smith, 986; L.F.U. Garriock, 12,372; W. Irvine, 3641, 3826; J.
Anderson, 6707; Rev. J. Sutherland, 7518; A. Harrison, 7664; T.
Gifford, 8102-8124; D. More, 9634; A. Sandison, p.248 f.n. to
10,205, 10,483; J. Spence, 10.559.]
The members of the firm which holds the lands and fishings in
Unst urged strongly that only a large concern like theirs would
have the interests of the men in view as well as their own, and, by
possessing a monopoly and restricting the men's credit, keep them
free from debt. With this view they have made war against small
shops in that island. The returns show that they have not yet
succeeded in keeping the men free from debt.
[A. Sandison, 10,494; J. Spence, 10,559.]
The sort of partnership that exists between merchant and
fisherman, the latter being paid in proportion to the results of
the whole year's transactions, is the chief excuse for delaying
settlements. The views of the merchants on this point may be
seen from the following passage in the examination of Mr.
Robertson, manager for Mr. Leask, one of the chief merchants in
Shetland. Mr. Robertson came forward with other [Page 18 rpt.]
merchants for the purpose of denying the Report of Mr. Hamilton
to the Board of Trade, and the other statements made in the
previous inquiry:-
... 'Then I deny that the truck system in an open or disguised
form prevails in Shetland to an extent which is unknown in any
other part of the United Kingdom. I have no proof to offer in
contradiction of that statement; I simply deny it, and I don't
believe it.'
'13,698. What is the population of Shetland?-About 30,000.'
'13,699. Of these, how many do you suppose consist of fishermen
and their families?-I should say that perhaps about three-fourths
of them are fishermen and seamen, and their families.'
'13,700. I suppose the seamen are mostly the younger members of
the families?-Yes.'
'13,701. Is it not the case that almost every fisherman has an
account with the merchant to whom he sells his fish?-Yes; but I
don't consider that to be truck at all.'
'13,702. That account is settled at the end of the year, part of the
value of the man's fish being taken out in supplies of goods, and
the balance being paid in cash, if any balance is due?-Yes. He
simply has an account, in the same way that all the retail
merchants in Shetland and everywhere else have to deal with
wholesale merchants, and have to pay them.'
'13,703. Do you suppose Mr. Hamilton meant anything else than
that by saying that the truck system prevailed in Shetland?-I am
not bound to know what he meant, but I deny his statement.'
'13,704. I presume he merely intended to state that a great part of
the earnings of every fisherman, as well as of some other people in
Shetland, were really settled by taking out goods from the
employers. Do you suppose he meant anything else than that?-I
am afraid he did. I am afraid he meant to convey the idea that the
men got nothing but goods when they should have got money.'
'13,705. Is it not the case that many of them do get nothing but
goods?-That is their own fault.'
'13,706. Still it may be the fact, although it is their own fault?-It
may be the fact, because the men earn very little, and they require
supplies of provisions and clothing; and no person would give
them such supplies unless the person who employs them. But I
don't think that is truck, in the common meaning of the word.'
'13,707. Then the difference between you is rather a dispute about
the meaning of the word "truck" than as to the actual state of
matters in Shetland?-I would not even admit that. I don't think
there is any room for complaint about the state of matters in
Shetland, as a rule.'
'13,708. I suppose you mean that the fishermen have a certain
advantage by getting advances of goods? -Of course they have.'
'13,709. But you do not mean to deny the fact that they do get such
advances when they require them?- Of course I don't deny that;
but the shipowner or curer runs a great risk in advancing goods on
the security of fish which have to be caught. It is a very good
thing in a good season, but in a bad season he may come rather
short.'
'13,710. On the other hand, he does not pay for the fish that are
caught until six or seven months afterwards?-He does not realize
them until then. None of the fishcurers get one penny for their fish
until about the end of December, except perhaps for a very small
parcel which they may send to a retail dealer in the south.'
'13,711. That may be quite true; but is any employer of labour in a
better position?-Yes.'
'13,712. A farmer, for instance, pays his labourers weekly or
fortnightly, as the case may be, and he very often does not realize
his crops until many months afterwards?-That is true; but he is
selling his butter and milk and cattle.'
'13,713. Still it does not follow that he is paid for them at the
time?-Cattle, I think, are generally paid for in cash.'
'13,714. But there are other producers, such as manufacturers, who
are only paid by long-dated bills, generally at three months?-Yes;
but here the merchant does not get his return until the end of
twelve months. The fish-merchant or curer begins to advance
in the beginning of January, and he continues to advance until the
end of December, without getting any money back; so that he lies
out of his money for twelve months. He neither gets money from
the party to whom he advances the goods, nor from the party to
whom he sells his fish.'
'13,715. Do you think that is the main justification for the long
settlements which are made with the men?-Of course it is.'
The real or imaginary necessity under which the men are placed,
of dealing at the merchant's shop, is demonstrated by their taking
meal and other bulky articles a distance of many miles to their
own houses, although there are shops nearer home where they could be
purchased of as good quality, and it would seem
sometimes better and cheaper. Thus James Hay says:
'5343. Do you deal at his shop for all your provisions and your
purchases of cotton and other things?-I do for the principal part
of what I need, but not altogether.'
'5344. How far do you live from Mr. Adie's nearest shop?-About
71/2 miles; his shop is at Voe.'
'5345. Do you always go there for what you want?-Yes; generally
I do that, unless sometimes when I am needing some small things,
I may go to another: but I am not bound to go to his shop unless I
choose to go.'
'5346. Then why do you go so far?-Because I generally fish to
Mr. Adie, and I have the greatest part of my dealings with him. I
have not been accustomed to shift very much, unless it might be an
inconvenience to me, and sometimes I have gone to another
shop.'. . .
'5399. Are you under any obligation to go to Mr. Adie's shop for
the goods you want in the course of the year?-None that I am
aware of.'
'5400. You have never been told it of course; but is it a great deal
more convenient for you to go there than to deal at another
shop?-No; it is not more convenient. I could go to a shop
somewhat nearer; but still I don't think I would be any better; and
as it has always been my custom to go there, I just continue to go.'
'5401. Is it only because it is your custom to go, or is it because
you are in the way of delivering your fish to Mr. Adie, that you go
to his store?-Mr. Adie has been very obliging to me many a time,
by helping me when I could not help myself, and therefore I
always felt a warm heart towards him, and went to his store.'
'5402. But is it the way with the fishermen here, that they go to
the shop of the man that they sell their fish to?-I am not able to
speak to that except for myself.'
'5403. Do you not know what your neighbours do? -It depends on
the circumstances that my neighbours are in. If they are indebted
to the man they are fishing to, of course they will go to that man,
and perhaps have very little to go to him with.'
'5404. Are those neighbours of yours who are so indebted also
likely to engage to fish for the same the merchant during the
following season?-Yes. When a man is short of money, and has
not enough with [Page 19 rpt.] which to pay his land rent, he may
go to the man he is fishing to, and he will help him with what he
requires; but the understanding in that case is, that he will serve
him at the fishing for the rising year. That is generally the way it is
done.'
'5405. Do you mean that when a man gets advances at a
merchant's shop, it is understood that he must fish to him
in the coming year?-Yes; that is generally understood.'
[James Hay, 5352 etc.; W. Green, 5860 (Voe to Sullom); W.
Blance, 6057, 6118 (Voe to Ollaberry); G. Scollay, 8417; J.
Robertson, 8454 (Muckle Roe to Hillswick); J. Johnston, 9552
(Voe to Burravoe); T. Robertson, 8590.]
So John Twatt, a merchant, says:
'12,210. Is it not the fact that men who live near you do go to
Reawick for supplies, although it is much farther away?-Yes.'
'12,211. And although it is inconvenient?-Yes, it is inconvenient.
They could do much better by coming to my shop, which is next
door to them, and they could get as good articles at the same price
as they can at Reawick.'
'12,212. How far is it from your place to Reawick?-I think it is
about 10 or 12 miles.'
'12,213. When the men go there for meal or other supplies, are
these supplies brought across the country?-Sometimes they are
brought by boats, and sometimes round by the rocks.'