§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been called to the heavy penalties im- 1351 posed upon five fishermen by Sheriff Hill at Dingwall, on Monday, the 4th current, for having taken fish of the salmon kind from the sea; and whether, seeing it is the intention of the Government to bring in a Bill to give fishermen the right to fish in the sea for all kinds of fish, he will consider the desirability of reducing the heavy fines imposed upon these fishermen, and take an early opportunity of bringing in the promised Bill?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI am informed by Sheriff Hill that the five men referred to were convicted on the 4th current of an offence within the meaning of the Acts 7 & 8 Vic. c. 95 and 31 & 32 Vic. c. 123. In the case of two of the men it was a first conviction, and the penalty was therefore modified to 10s. each. In the case of two others it was a second conviction, and the penalty awarded was the lowest allowed by the 33rd Section of 31 & 32 Vic. c. 123—namely, £2 10s. each. In the case of the fifth man it was a third conviction, and the penalty imposed upon him was £5, as required by the foregoing section. The question of granting licences to fish for salmon in the sea is under consideration, and Mr. Stafford Howard, the Commissioner in charge of the Land Revenues of the Crown in Scotland, is conducting an inquiry in connection therewith. Pending consideration, I am not prepared, without substantial cause, to interfere with the administration of the present law.
§ *MR. WEIRWill the Government consider the desirability of using the Closure so courageously used by the Opposition when they were in power in order to advance their legislative measures?
§ [No answer was given.]