§ MR. J. W. BARCLAYasked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been called to the system of depopulating large tracts of land in Scotland for the purpose of making deer forests, which has so extensively prevailed in recent years; whether he is aware that a Mr. Winans has an area of over 150 square miles exclusively devoted to deer; whether there has been a case before the Supreme Court in Scotland, at the instance of Mr. Winans, to procure the eviction of crofters for the purpose of further extending his deer forest; and, whether the Government contemplate any measure for preventing the further depopulation of the Highlands for this purpose?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)It is the fact, Sir, that large tracts of land in Scotland have been made into deer forests in recent years, and it has been asserted that these tracts have been depopulated for that purpose. On the other hand, this assertion has been denied; and it has been stated that the tracts of land in question had pre- 577 viously, in so far as occupied at all, been under sheep, and that as many persons are employed in the care of the deer forests as were engaged in tending the sheep. I am not in possession of evidence to show which of these opposing allegations is correct. I am aware that Mr. Winans has a very large area—I might almost say an enormous area—devoted to deer, and that he is at present suing an action in the Supreme Court of Scotland for the purpose of having Mr. Mackenzie, of Kintail, ordained to remove the tenants and other occupants from certain parts of Kintail let to Mr. Winans as a deer forest. This action is resisted by Mr. Mackenzie, who asserts that it never was intended that the crofters should be removed; and he has obtained a judgment in his favour from the Lord Ordinary, who has refused to decree specific performance of what Mr. Winans maintains to be Mr. Mackenzie's obligation. That judgment is at present under appeal. I am not in a position to promise legislation on the subject of this question.