From Burra, Whalsay, and the other establishments of Messrs. Hay
& Co., no complaints as to prices were made. Some of their
stations are so near Lerwick that they must sell as low as possible,
in order to secure the custom of the men. It is said that at Fetlar,
one of their most remote stations, the goods are as cheap and good
as at Lerwick. The books kept at Fetlar show sales of meal in July
last at 23s., in August at 22s. 8d., and in September at 21s.; while
in these months the prices in Lerwick were-July, 21s. 6d.;
August, 21s.; September, 21s. In Fetlar, Messrs. Hay & Co. have
the only large shop. At North Roe (Hay & Co.), the most remote
shop on the mainland, the price of meal per boll, at the beginning
of the fishing season of 1871, was only 6d. or 1s. higher than at
Lerwick at the same date, according as the purchase spoken to by
a witness was made in April or May. It seems to be a fair
conclusion from the evidence that this firm does not, as a rule,
charge high prices. No complaint has been made with respect to
quality.
[W. Irvine, 3715; Catherine Petrie, 1458; G. Gaunson, 8887; J.
Garriock, 8766; A. Ratter, 7400; C. Robertson, 15,040; T. Aitken,
4836.]