HC Deb 01 September 1893 vol 16 c1720
MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, at the meeting of the Ross and Cromarty County Council, held at Dingwall on the 19th July, it was announced that Lady Matheson had refused to give the necessary guarantee in regard to the sum required in addition to the Government grant for the construction of piers and boat slips in the Island of Lewis; that in consequence of the poverty of the inhabitants it was useless to expect a guarantee from them; and that the meeting resolved to draw the attention of the Government to the case as being worthy of special consideration; and whether the Government will consider the desirability of providing the necessary funds to enable the work to be carried out?

THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, Bridgeton

With regard to certain works for places in the Island of Lewis, the Treasury have made no difficulty about sanctioning the grants applied for by the Scotch Office after their object has been explained to them; but the Government in their operations are bound by the terms of the Western Highlands and Islands Act. According to this Act, if for any reason the estimate proves insufficient for the completion of the work— The County Council shall be bound to pay and provide for such deficiency. The County Council of Ross and Cromarty, in their meeting on the 19th of July, refused to give this guarantee as regards works in the Island of Lewis. It has been pointed out to them that such a refusal on their part is tantamount to declining to become the "undertakers" of the works, and under the Act those works can only be carried out under the superintendence of the County Council. The County Council should remember that the public money given under the provisions of the Western Highlands and Islands Act-was voted by Parliament with a special view to the needs of the Lewis and the more remote districts of Scotland, and that if it had not been for the condition of such communities no money would have been voted at all.