§ MR. BIGGARasked the Lord Advovocate, Whether there is any truth in the statement made in The Dunow Herald of the 14th instant that, during the previous week, there had been three plantation fires in Morayshire alone, the last one taking place within four miles of Gordon Castle, the Duke of Richmond's seat, much valuable timber being destroyed; and, whether there is any truth in the statement made in several other papers that within the last four weeks there have been an unusual number of agrarian fires in Scotland?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)I do not know of any newspaper called The Dunow Herald; but I have inquired in regard to the matter to which the Question relates, and I am informed that the only plantation fire known to the authorities to have taken place in Morayshire about the time referred to occurred on the 1st of June at the Hill of Orbliston, between four and five miles from Gordon Castle. The fire was a serious one, a considerable extent of timber having been destroyed, and the Procurator Fiscal made a full investigation in regard to it at the time. There is no reason to suppose that the plantation was set on fire wilfully. It appears to have begun at a place where there were signs that a small fire had been lighted, probably by one or more tramps, for the purpose of cooking food; and it seems to have been blown by the wind to a whin bush near, from which it extended to the plantation. It appeared that an attempt had been, made to extinguish the fire in the bush by throwing slime and water upon it from, a neighbouring ditch. I have no reason to believe that there have been any agrarian fires in Scotland recently. All fires of any moment occurring in Scotland are investigated by the Fiscals and regularly reported to the Crown Office. There has been no appreciable increase 1401 in the number of the fires reported during the last year, and none of them can be recognized as agrarian.