§ MR. BLAKEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether "The Salmon Fisheries Act, 1873,"confers the right of nominating representative members of fishery boards on persons purchasing licences to fish for salmon in public or common waters during the preceding fishing season; and, whether the fishermen who purchased from the Wye Fishery Board licences to fish for salmon in the common waters of the River Wye, otherwise called" The Free Water of Hoarwithy," in the fishing seasons of 1873, 1874, and 1875, have at any time nominated a representative member to the Wye Fishery Board; and, if not, whether he will postpone the consideration of the bye-laws recently made by the Wye Fishery Board, and calculated seriously to affect the interest of the common water fishermen, until a representative member has been nominated and elected by them in accordance with the provisions of "The Salmon Fisheries Act, 1873?"
MR. ASSHETON CROSS,in reply, said, the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1873 did confer the right of nominating members of Fishery Boards on persons purchasing licences to fish for salmon in public or common waters during the preceding fishing season. With regard 1894 to the second paragraph of the Question he understood that the right was disputed, and it was at present a question of law whether the free water of Hoarwithy did constitute a public water. The persons licensed to fish the free water of the Hoar withy had not yet nominated a representative, and in a disputed question he did not think he would be justified in coercing the action of the Board.