§ MR. ELLICEasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is not the usual practice, where salmon fishings on the sea coast belong to the Crown, to offer the refusal of the lease of such fishings to parties interested in the property immediately adjoining; whether the lease of salmon fishings on the sea coast ex adverso of the burgh of Crail is not at present, or has not until lately been in accordance with the said practice, vested in the hands of the municipal authorities of that burgh; whether an application for the renewal of such lease has been peremptorily refused to the said municipality; if so, whether he will state the reason for such refusal, and whether and to whom such fishings have been otherwise privately disposed of; and, whether he has any objection to produce the Correspondence upon this subject?
§ MR. BAXTERIt has been, Sir, the usual practice, as a matter of courtesy to individuals and of convenience to the Department, where salmon fishings on the sea coast belong to the Crown, to offer the refusal of the lease of such fishings to the ex adverse proprietors, but not, as stated in the Question, to parties merely interested in the property immediately adjoining. The salmon fishings on the sea coast, ex adverso of the burgh of Crail, are at present under lease to the municipal authorities. An application, however, for the renewal of the lease to the municipality has been declined, because it was considered that it would be better for the interests of the Crown and the public to let the fishings, with other adjoining fishings extending for some miles along the coast, to a practical salmon-fisher, the sea frontage within the limits of the burgh of Crail 1228 being too narrow to admit of a separate fishery being established there to advantage. The fishings along a considerable extent of coast have accordingly been let to Messrs. Johnston and Sons, salmon-fishers, who at present rent the fishings from the sub-tenant, to whom the burgh let them. It would be quite unusual to produce Correspondence on such a subject.
§ MR. ELLICEI want to know, Whether the right hon. Gentleman does not consider that, as a general rule, proprietors of land ex adverso of the seashore, ought to have the refusal of the salmon fishing belonging to the Crown on such shore, and that where a different course is proposed to be taken, due notice should be given to such proprietors, in order that they might have full opportunity for representing their cases to the proper Department?
§ MR. BAXTERI am not prepared to answer the Question at this moment, though I may say I consider that in this ease, ample justice has been done to all parties.