Earning Goods, etc. Cash
36 men in six-oared
boats, each £14 12 5 £3 14 5 £10 17 11
34 men in four-oared
boats, each £8 18 7 £2 15 103/4 £6 2 81/4
Minutes of Evidence
taken before the
Commission on the Truck System
(Shetland)
Lerwick: Monday, January 1, 1872.
Mr Guthrie, Commissioner.
<Mr. Guthrie>.-I have come here, as a Commissioner appointed
under the Truck Act of 1870, to inquire into the system of Truck,
and to report upon that and upon the operation of all Acts or
provisions of Acts prohibiting the truck system; and I have power
under the Act, as it says, 'to investigate all offences against such
Acts which have occurred within the period of two years
immediately preceding the passing of this Act (that was, in 1870),
and to make such report on the subject of the truck system, and of
the existing laws in relation thereto, as they (the Commissioners)
shall deem proper and useful'. I wish all that are here, and all that
are interested in the subject of this inquiry, to remember that the
object for which I am sent here is simply to find out the truth, and
the whole truth, about the way in which the system of truck, or, if
it is not properly called the system of truck, the system of paying
wages and the price of productions,-which is said to prevail in
Shetland, operates; and I trust and believe that I shall receive from
all of you every assistance in ascertaining the truth with regard to
that matter. I wish every person in Shetland, and every person
interested in the matter, to bear in mind, first of all, that I come
here with no formed opinion as to the operation of that system,
either on the one side or on the other. I come here to find out the
truth; and I believe that, so far as Shetland is concerned, the
Government which has sent me here is in exactly the same
position, and has not formed any opinion. It is simply anxious to
find out what is the truth about the system which is alleged to
prevail here; and I trust, as I have already said, that I shall receive
every assistance from everybody in prosecuting that inquiry. I
have to thank some gentlemen, to whom I have already made
application for information, for the courteous way in which they
have responded to my application. The interests of some of them
may be supposed to be affected by the inquiry, but I hope that they
and all of you will come forward frankly and tell me what you
know about the matter. It is right, however, to mention, that the
Act of Parliament under which I am sent here, furnishes me with
special and very stringent powers with regard to the obtaining of
information. In particular, I am empowered, among other things,
to examine witnesses upon oath; to compel them to answer such
questions, as may be put to them; to compel the production of
documents; to order the inspection of any real or personal property;
and a summons requiring the attendance of a witness must be
obeyed just in the same way as if it were issued by any of Her
Majesty's superior courts. I hope and trust, however, that it will be
unnecessary to exercise any of these powers. I think the people of
Shetland have sufficient intelligence and good sense to make the
enforcement of these powers quite unnecessary. I rely upon their
good sense and courtesy to allow the truth to be ascertained,
without any difficulty or any resistance or attempt at concealment.
I may mention-although perhaps in this country it is less
necessary-that the Act of Parliament gives me power, when any
person examined as a witness makes a full and true disclosure
touching all matters with respect to which he is examined, to give
him a certificate stating that he has made such a full and true
disclosure; and that certificate has the effect of protecting him
against any civil or criminal procedure which might be taken
against him in consequence of anything that he speaks to. Further,
I have to express a hope that no person who is interested in the
system that is said to prevail here will in any way attempt to
interfere with this inquiry by intimidating any witness who is to be
called before me, or exercising any undue or improper influence
upon him. If any instance of such intimidation or improper
influence takes place, I hope the party on whom it is attempted to
be exercised will at once make the circumstance known to me,
whether that intimidation is exercised by a threat of dismissal from
employment or a refusal of work, or in whatever other way it may
be done. All these things would be a serious violation of the law,
and would be visited with severe punishment. I shall be ready to
receive any information that any person may wish to give on the
subject of the inquiry; and if any one wishes to give evidence or to
suggest any point for inquiry, I have to ask that they will give that
information privately, as the inquiry itself, so far as the taking
down of evidence is concerned, must, by the terms of the Act, be
held in public.