MR. MACDONALD CAMERONasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he will furnish a return of the number of smuggling detections made in deer forests since 1879; whether Excise officers in the execution of their duty have a right of entry, of search, and of way over deer forests; and, if not, have they hitherto been exceeding their duty; and, have there been cases of tenants of grouse moors, sheep farmers, and crofters deforcing Excise officers with impunity?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT),in reply, said, that it was impossible to give an answer quite accurate to the first part of the Question; but he believed the number to be about 14 or 15. Customs officers had the right of search in deer forests when they were armed with civil warrants, but not otherwise, for the detection of smuggling. There had been no case of tenants of grouse moors, sheep farmers, and crofters deforcing Excise officers with impunity.
MR. MACDONALD CAMERONasked whether the Excise officers, when 1025 they made the 15 detections to which the right hon. Gentleman alluded, had such warrants?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI presume so, otherwise their action would have been illegal.