§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary 895 for Scotland whether the purely agricultural parts of Aberdeenshire will be included in the Fishery District of the county as defined in the Sea Fisheries Regulation (Scotland) Bill; and whether, to allay apprehension, he will fix the maximum of the special assessment authorised in Clause 6, Sub-section 3, at less than 3d. in the £1?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANAs the Bill stands, the whole of a seaboard county falls to be included in one of the Fishery Districts to be constituted under the Bill, and any other proposal would seem hardly practicable. Although there is provision for a special assessment of 3d. in the £1, it will seldom or never be required, in view of the reasonable expectation that the mussel-beds must in a short time be more than self-supporting. A 3d. rate over the whole of the seaboard counties would produce above £200,000; and obviously that amount, or anything like that amount, would never be levied. But there may be some small county which might be desirous to raise a large sum in order to acquire or make and cultivate valuable and extensive beds which were sure to be remunerative. It will, however, be for the Committee to consider the maximum of the rate.
§ DR. FARQUHARSONWhen we get into Committee on the Bill will the right hon. Gentleman give us a clear definition of the words "Fishery Districts"? At present the meaning is somewhat obscure.
§ SIR G. TREVELYANThe definition of that part of the country which will be made liable to be included in a Fishery District will be made quite clear.