Governor Sir W. MacGregor to the Earl of Elgin.
I have been asked by my responsible advisers to transmit following minute:
Referring to your telegram of 1st October, my responsible advisers anxiously await a reply to their minute of the 28th ultimo, in which they desired to be [Page 747] advised promptly as to the exact position of affairs, and whether they are free to enforce the customs and fisheries laws of this colony against American fishermen. They would most strongly deprecate any arrangement consenting to the use of purse seines by American fishermen and to shipping of Newfoundland fishermen, and they are not prepared to consent to local fishermen being engaged to work for Americans in the conduct of fisheries of this colony. By such a concession the policy of this Government in respect to herring fishery, which received such marked indorsement at the polls in 1904, and is rightly considered by mercantile body as of vital interest to the trade of the colony, would be completely thwarted. A telegram received from the subcollector of customs at Port Saunders to-day states that American schooners Norma and Annie M. Parker from Gloucester arrived that morning and were preparing to seine and net herring for export, and had refused to pay light dues. In another communication from the subcollector of customs at Bay of Islands it is stated that Captain Bonia, of Gloucester, special agent for Gloucester firms, arrived there by railway on the 28th ultimo, and is engaging men and hiring boats for the full fishery. My responsible advisers again earnestly pray that His Majesty’s Government will permit the proclaiming of sections 6 and 7 of the foreign fishing vessels act, 1906, so as to enable them to deal with local fisheries, for it is entirely evident that disorder can not be avoided and the peaceable conduct of the fisheries maintained in any other way.
I have asked my responsible advisers [to] tell me, for your information, from what quarter, at what places, and under what circumstances disorder is expected, and what measures to preserve peace are being taken.