§ DR. M'DONALD (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been directed to the trial of James Stewart (gamekeeeper to Sir John Fowler, of Braemore), before Sheriff Hill, at Dingwall, last week, for an assault on Rose, the skipper of a herring boat at Loch Troon, while the latter was engaged in hauling in his herring nets; whether the said Stewart was liberated without bail after emitting a declaration; and whether the prosecutor, the Procurator Fiscal, made any objection to his liberation, although he was committed for trial?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON,) ButeThe hon. Member has been misinformed as to this matter. There has been no trial. A charge was lodged against Stewart by Rose, and a countercharge by Stewart against Rose. These charges are now being investigated. Stewart was liberated with the consent of the Procurator Fiscal. This is quite usual in the case of law-abiding persons where the charge is not of a very serious kind.