528. You said that your reason for coming here and offering to give evidence to-day was, that you were afraid of young Mr. Bruce taking the fishing into his own hands?-Yes; that is the thing we find to be most oppressive, if it was coming to be the case. 529. Is it the general opinion in the country that he has undertaken to manage the fishings on his father's estates?-He addressed himself so in the note he gave us. He called himself general merchant and fish-curer. 530. Did he give you intimation of that one year at rent time?- Yes; that was last year. 531. But he has not yet taken the management of the fishing at Cunningsburgh?-No. 532. Has he fishing establishments elsewhere?-He has-at Dunrossness. He has taken all the tenants there into his own hands. The property, I daresay, is twice as large as Cunningsburgh. 533. Do you know from your own knowledge whether the tenants there are obliged to fish for him?-Yes; they are fishing to himself. 534. Have they no choice but to fish for him?-I don't think it. As far as my knowledge goes, they have not. 535. Are you acquainted with any of the fishermen there?-I know a little about them, from passing them on the road. 536. Have they ever complained to you about the state of matters at Dunrossness?-I cannot say much about that, except that they think they would have been fully better with their freedom. 537. Have they not got their freedom?-They cannot have their freedom when they are fishing to him. 538. But they may fish to him of their own free will?-They might; but I think he has gripped them so that they cannot have their freedom. 539. That, however, is only your own supposition?-I think it is true. It is so true that both the merchant and us are afraid that he will grip us too. Lerwick, January 1, 1872, SIMON LAURENSON, examined. 540. You are a fisherman at Cunningsburgh?-Yes. 541. Do you fish for Mr. Tulloch?-No; I fish for James Smith. 542. You have heard the evidence of the previous witness, Andrew Tulloch?-Yes. 543. Is the statement you wish to make very much the same as his?-Very much the same. We want to know, as British subjects, whether, if we pay our rent annually, we are entitled to our freedom. 544. You mean, whether you are to be allowed to fish to any person you choose?-Yes; to fish to any person, or to work at any kind of work for which we have a mind. 545. Have you been told by young Mr. Bruce, or any one else on his behalf, that you are not to have your freedom?-No. We only got a hint of it from the fish-merchant. 546. And your alarm has been excited by what you have heard from the people at Dunrossness?-Yes. 547. Do you know what Mr. Bruce's system is with the tenants under him there?-I cannot say exactly, except that they are not well satisfied with it. At least I know that some of them are not satisfied. <Adjourned>. [Page 11] Lerwick: Tuesday, January 2, 1872. LAURENCE MAIL, examined.