§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that Lord Cromarty's gamekeeper and two watchers stopped a crew of Ullapool fishermen on the 13th ultimo at 11 p.m. when fishing for bait, at a spot which for the past 60 years has been regularly frequented by the fishermen for that purpose; that the gamekeeper seized a small sea trout which was in the net and threw it into the boat, with the object of securing a conviction against them for poaching for sea trout; and whether he will take any action in the matter?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR,) Clackmannan, &c.This question appears to relate to an occurrence which took place at the mouth of the Ullapool River—the gamekeeper and watchers were not servants of Lord Cromarty, but of the sporting tenant, who is about to institute proceedings against two of the fishermen, charging them with contravention of the Act of 7 & 8 Vict. c. 95. The whole facts of the case will, doubtless, be elicited at the trial, a report of which I have asked to be sent to me, and I shall then see whether any further action is called for.