Some time after, it appeared to the board, that the forcing of these rules and regulations, in order to throw open the fishery there to adventurers from Great Britain, was not a wise policy. They were calculated only for a cod, or whale fishery, whereas the seal fishery, which was most pursued here, was a _sedentary fishery_, and needed the encouragement of exclusive property, to support the expence of the adventure. They therefore, on the 24th of June 1772, recommended to his majesty that the coast of _Labradore_ should be re-annexed to the government of _Quebec_[77]. This would certainly put an end to the disquietude under which persons laboured, who had private property there, which they saw exposed to the operation of Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3. This, however, does not seem to have been the reason for the board recommending such measure; for being called upon to reconsider their opinion as to the re-annexing of the coast of _Labradore_ to the government of _Quebec_; they said, that it was not in consideration of the loss which individuals would sustain, if private property was disturbed, but they said, when it appeared to them that a great part of that coast was claimed as private property, under grants from the governors of _Canada_; and that his majesty was bound by treaty to admit those claims; they thought he could not in justice enforce regulations that were subversive of those rights[78]. According to the principle here laid down, the _Quebec act_ Stat. 14, Geo. 3, c. 83, annexed to that government all such territories, islands, and countries as had, since the 10th February 1763, been part of the government of Newfoundland, and they were so to continue during his majesty’s pleasure[79]. [Sidenote: Stat. 15, Geo. 3.] The last measure taken respecting Newfoundland, during this period, was passing Stat. 15, Geo. 3, c. 31, commonly called in the island, _Sir Hugh Palliser’s act_; it being supposed to have originated from the advice and assistance, principally, of that gentleman. The design of this act was to favour, and keep alive, the principle of a ship-fishery carried on from England: one of the regulations of it, was to enforce the payment of wages, another to secure the return of seamen, and fisherman to this country; the provisions of it are all enforced by a special penalty, the want of which in Stat. 10 and 11 Will. 3. had been so often lamented.