2026. Is it not the case that a number of single women live in rooms in and knit for a living?-I cannot say, because I am not much acquainted through the place. 2027. You do not know the private circumstances of your customers?-I do not. Lerwick, January 3, 1872, Mrs. ANDRINA MOUAT, examined. 2028. Where do you live?-I live in Girlsta, parish of Tingwall. 2029. Are you a married woman?-Yes 2030. Is your husband alive?-Yes, he is at Leith; but I have had nothing from him for five years. I live by my own knitting; and that is what has made me so anxious to come here. 2031 Have you any family?-I have only one son. He is sailing out of Leith. 2032. Do you knit with your own wool?-Yes. 2033. Where do you buy it?-I buy it mostly from my friends- some of it from my brother. 2034. Is your brother a farmer near where you live?-Yes. 2035. Do you pay him for the wool?-Yes. 2036. To whom do you sell your hosiery goods?-I always sold them to Mr. Spence before he went away. I made fancy stockings and knitted gloves, and things of that kind. 2037. You don't knit the fine hosiery; it is all stockings and gloves and mittens you do?-Yes, and men's frocks. I made them for Mr. Spence, but since he went away I have been very poorly off. 2038. He was a merchant in Lerwick?-Yes. 2039. Did he keep a shop here?-Yes. 2040. The same kind of shop as is kept by Mr. Sinclair and Mr. Linklater?-No. He had not so much goods in his shop, as Mr. Sinclair has, but he sometimes gave me money when I wanted it- either money or goods. 2041. Does his sister carry on the business for him now?-Yes. 2042. Do you sell to her?-No; she is not buying anything. 2043. How were you paid for your goods?-Just middling. 2044. Were you paid in money or in goods?-Either in money or goods. 2045. If you brought a lot of articles: and asked Mr. Spence to buy them, he would fix a price; and if the price suited you, you gave him the articles?-Yes. 2046. Did he pay you money across the counter?-Yes. 2047. Were you ever obliged to take goods from him?-Yes; many a time. [Page 40] 2048. Did he tell you he would not give you money?-No; he did not say that. 2049. What did he say?-He just gave me anything I wanted- sometimes money and sometimes goods. 2050. He never told you that he did not want to give you money?-Sometimes he did so. Sometimes he was very unwilling to give money, but he did give it. 2051. Was that pretty often?-No; not very often. My articles were always good. 2052. Did you sometimes ask him to give you money when you did not get it?-Yes. 2053. Is it long since he left the business?-I have never sold anything to him since the month of July. 2054. Who do you sell to now?-I have sent what articles I have made since to my son in the south, and he has sold them in Leith. 2055. Do you get as good a price for them there as you used to get from Mr. Spence?-No.