§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that Captain MacDonald of Waternish, Inverness-shire, has refused permission to the County Council to construct a road through the crofting land on his property, which, besides serving other purposes, would enable the children of the district to attend the public school in 23 rough weather without endangering their lives, will the Government so amend the Local Government Act as to empower the County Council to carry out this and similar improvements?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANIt is true that Captain MacDonald objects to a public road, the necessity of which he disputes, being made through the arable lands of his crofts. But he makes no objection to the improvements of foot paths and the erection of foot bridges to enable children to attend school; the School Board have expressed themselves as satisfied with this arrangement, and the County Council have applied for permission to construct the path out of recent grant for roads, and I have approved the proposal. The question of compulsory powers of the County Council to construct roads is being considered by the Government with a view to a Local Government Bill.