§ MR. A. C. MORTON (Peterborough)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, whether his attention has been drawn to the statement that it is proposed by a public company to destroy the Falls of Foyers on Loch Ness; and, if so, will he take prompt measures to prevent the destruction of what is of national interest, especially to tourists?
§ DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness)wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman, as these Falls were in his constituency, whether there were not two sides to the question? Whilst he should deprecate 543 the destruction of such grand and beautiful Falls just as much as anybody else would, he could not help asking the right hon. Gentleman to consider whether, especially as public works and factories were so scarce in this part of Scotland, it was more desirable to encourage work of this kind than to discourage it, so that some employment might be found for the people in the locality?
§ THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. O. TREVELYAN, Glasgow, Bridgeton)My hon. Friend has given me a serious problem to solve, but it is one which lies rather with the County Council than with me. I am afraid, however, that the County Council have not yet met to consider the question referred to; but a meeting of the County Road Board, preparatory to holding a meeting of the Council, is called for Friday next to consider whether the Aluminium Company can be allowed to submerge roads near Foyers in carrying out their proposed works. The Company deny that the Falls will be destroyed, but the volume of water will no doubt be lessened at certain seasons of the year. The question, however, is receiving the attention of the County Council, who are, it appears to me, the proper authorities to deal with the matter.