Part 178 (1/2)

Hillswick, Northmaven: Friday, January 12, 1872.

-Mr. Guthrie.

DAVID GREIG, examined.

7100. You have been for a long time in the employment of Messrs.

Hay & Co.?-I have been with them for nearly twenty-three years-first in their Lerwick house, and I have been manager for them at North Roe for ten years.

7101. North Roe is part of the Gossaburgh estate?-Yes.

7102. Do you manage the fis.h.i.+ngs on that estate in Northmaven parish, as well as those in Yell?-There is a separate management in Yell, so far as the rents are concerned. In Yell there is part of the estate on the west side of the island, and part on the east side. I have nothing to do with the fishermen on the east side, only with those on the west side.

7103. The fishermen on the west side deliver their fish where?- At Feideland.

7104. That is one of your stations?-Yes.

7105. You have prepared a note of the tenants or holdings upon the estate, in which the number is stated to be 56: is that in this parish only, or in Yell also?-These are the farms or holdings in this parish.

7106. Are they entirely under your management?-Yes.

7107. The note also states that the gross rental last year was 193, 7s. 6d., of which 17 is for Hay & Co., and the gross rental charged to tenants is 176, 7s. 6d.?-Yes.

7108. The 17 is allowed for land held by Hay & Co.

themselves?-Yes; land and islands belonging to the estate on which they graze.

7109. Do you know the amount of the tack duty payable by Hay & Co. for that estate?-Not exactly. I think it is somewhere about 130 or 140; but then they have to pay all public burdens, and they have no claim against the proprietor for repairs on the property. They do all the repairs at their own expense, and keep up the property.

7110. So that it is not calculated that upon the rents payable by the fishermen, Hay & Co. have any surplus?-I don't think it. When the expense of management is taken off, I don't think they will have anything.

7111. I understand the fishermen hold their land subject to the condition of fis.h.i.+ng during summer for Hay & Co.?-It is usually understood so.

7112. And I presume that is the advantage which Hay & Co.

chiefly derive from their tack?-It was with a view to that that they entered into it.

7113. What is the average rent payable by each fisherman?-The average rental charged to fishermen is 3 guineas for each holding.

The highest is 6, and the lowest is 2, 7s. I may say that the rents on that estate have not been altered for over 50 years, while other estates have been raised very considerably. The land there is, I think, much cheaper than it is throughout Shetland generally.

7114. Do you think the rents would bear an increase?-In comparison with other places, a very considerable increase.

7115. How many of the tenants fished last year in the summer fis.h.i.+ng at North Roe?-Thirty-three.

7116. Of the rest, how many were unfit for fis.h.i.+ng, and how many were engaged in other fis.h.i.+ngs?-I think there were three tenants fis.h.i.+ng to other curers.

7117. In the summer fis.h.i.+ng?-Yes; there were two at Faroe and two or three, two at least, sailing south. Others were employed as fish-curers and tradesmen, and in other capacities.

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7118. There were three fis.h.i.+ng for other curers: was that by permission or sufferance?-By sufferance, not by permission.