§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received any communication from Caithness regarding the proposed eviction of Mr. James Laurie, of Howe; whether be has been informed that Mr. Laurie is being evicted for being chairman of the Crofters' Land Law Reform Association of Caithness; whether he is aware that Mr. Laurie is the member of the County Council for his district, and much respected; and is it the intention of the people, as expressed by resolution at public meetings, to prevent the eviction; whether, under these circumstances, he will use the forces of the Crown to assist in the proposed eviction; and whether the Government will bring in legislation to prevent working cultivators, like Mr. Laurie, from being similarly evicted?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANIn reply to the hon. Member, I received a communication from Caithness-shire last month, which, in the shape in which it reached me, did not disclose a state of facts with respect to which the Secretary for Scot-hind could effectively interfere. I requested the applicant to state more particularly the facts of the case, and to explain upon what grounds my intervention was sought, but have as yet received no reply. I trust, therefore, that it is a case in which an amicable agreement may be arrived at between the landlord and tenant.