§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the pollution of the waters of Loch Long and Loch Goil, by the deposit of dredgings by the Clyde Trust, is still persistently continued, such deposits amounting to many thousand tons per month; whether these deposits were first made with the consent of the Admiralty, under the view of the right of the Crown to the soil of these inland seas; whether, since the scientific Report on the pollution of these lochs, made in 1887, the Admiralty consent has been withdrawn; and whether the Government will take steps on behalf of the public to abate the nuisance now continuing in waters legally under Crown control?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON,) ButeshireI regret to find that the Clyde Trustees continue the deposit of dredgings in Loch Long, without any diminution of the amount. The consent of the Admiralty, which was given in 1862 to the deposit of certain dredgings, expired long ago, and did not apply to the present operations. The present deposits are entirely without the sanction of any Department of Government. While the action of this body of Statutory Trustees is open to grave observation, the persons with whom the remedy primarily lies are those who are directly injured. I pointed out in February last to a deputation of proprietors and inhabitants of the district that if a nuisance has been created they have their action at Common Law, that it would be difficult to justify the institution of legal proceedings at the cost of taxpayers in the interests of a comparatively small number of persons affected by a local nuisance, where there is no active injury to Crown property. I by no means imply, however, that the Government renounce their intention, if need be, to take measures for stopping what cannot be regarded as a proper exercise of statutory powers.