§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if it is intended that the recently appointed Committee to inquire into the question of Sea Fisheries shall take evidence upon the subject of salmon fishing round the coasts of Scotland; and, if not, if he will extend the powers of the Committee so as to embrace this important question?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANIn reply to the hon. Member, I may point out that the Select Committee is appointed to inquire into the Sea Fisheries of Great Britain and Ireland, and that I must refer him to the President of the Board of Trade to say whether the Government will extend further powers to that Committee.
§ MR. MACFARLANEThen I put the question to that right hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. MUNDELLAThis Committee has been appointed solely with the object of obtaining an inquiry into questions connected with the sea fishing industry, which is governed by acts of a totally different nature from those which relate to salmon fishing. It appears to me, therefore, to be very inexpedient to extend the Reference in the manner suggested by the hon. Member.
§ MR. MACFARLANEThen I beg to give Notice, in view of the vast importance of this subject, I shall at the earliest opportunity call attention to it and move a Resolution thereon.
§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it has been the custom of the Admiralty to purchase copies of the Journal of the Royal United Service Institution for distribution to the various ships in commission; and whether this custom is to be discontinued; and, if so, on what grounds?
§ MR. E. ROBERTSONThe answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. On the establishment of 1137 separate Libraries for officers, it was arranged that such books as wore not specially suited for the seamen's reading should be eliminated from the Seamen's Libraries. It has not been considered desirable to appropriate any part of the small sum available for the Officers' Libraries to the purchase of this Journal.