I had almost completed my remarks when the debate adjourned earlier this evening. The only opposition to the motion asking the House to approve of an increase in licence fees was in respect of drift net licences. I think I have dealt adequately with that question and that there is nothing further to say, taking into account the fact that the licence fee of £50 compares very favourably with the fee that was set down earlier in 1848.
It is pleasing, however, that despite the fact that our stock quantities are giving us cause for worry, the total income from our salmon fisheries, as provisionally estimated, stands at more than £5 million. I can assure the House that any additional moneys collected by way of this measure will be utilised to develop our salmon fisheries, and that utilisation will be carried out jointly by the boards of conservators and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. I am, therefore, asking the House to voice approval of this measure. It is more or less a measure that was invited, and I see no reason, at a time when salmon are, on the average, making more than £20 apiece, why we could not ask——