§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been called to the last Report of the Crofters' Commission, which states that 683 cases of appeal are awaiting a hearing, and that the Chairman must be present when 587 appeals are taken; and, seeing that the Chairman of this Commission is also Chairman of the Deer Forest Commission, how does he propose to deal with these 683 cases awaiting the decision of the Commission, without serious inconvenience, if not injustice, to all concerned?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI am informed by the Crofters' Commission that it is the fact that the number of appeals mentioned await hearing. Their last Report specially refers to that number, and to the fact that, but for the very severe weather which prevailed during November and December of last year, it would have been considerably reduced. The Commission propose to overtake as many of these appeals as possible at an early date, and it accordingly seems necessary to make exceptional arrangements for their disposal.
§ DR. MACGREGORAs the Chairman has been ill so long, is it not desirable to appoint a new Chairman, so that the appeals may be proceeded with?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANThe Chairman, after a severe illness—the first he has had during the hard labours of the past six or eight years—believes be will be sufficiently well to resume work on or about the 21st instant.