§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that, at the sitting of the Deer Forests Commission, held at Knoydart, Inverness-shire, on the 5th of July last, the crofters were unrepresented by their agent, Mr. Donald Macrae, owing to the refusal of Commissioner Gordon to allow him a passage from Tarbert to Knoydart by the steamer Marmion, chartered for the work of the Commission; whether it is proposed to give the crofters of Knoydart an opportunity, through their agent, Mr. Donald Macrae, of stating their case; whether he is aware that it was impossible for Mr. Macrae to reach Knoydart by the 363 ordinary means of communication; and whether, in future, travelling facilities will be given on board any steamer chartered at the public cost for the use of the Deer Forests Commission to Mr. Donald Macrae whilst he is engaged in the capacity of agent for the crofters and acting for them on any public inquiry in connection with the work of the Commission?
§ THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN, Glasgow, Bridgeton)The Commission were always willing to give Mr. D. Macrae a passage when they were going from point to point, and only refused on the occasion referred to because they were not going direct to Knoydart, but had to call at various Islands on the way. Mr. Macrae, however, could have reached Knoydart by the ordinary means of communication, as indeed the agent to the landlord did. The Highland and Islands Commission have no longer a steamer at their disposal.