HC Deb 02 May 1895 vol 33 cc271-3
DR. MACGREGOR (Inverness-shire)

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if, seeing that the new Crofters' Bill does not provide for the allotment of any land to the cotter class, he will consider the feasibility and expediency of yet incorporating with it some plan whereby a plot of arable land, from one to three acres, with or without the grazing for a cow, might be made available for each family that could show they were able to equip and work the croft within the family circle; and whether he is aware that the people are willing to pay for such allotment the fair rent that would be fixed by the Crofters' Commission?

*THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir GEORGE TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, Bridgeton

Under the Scottish Local Government Act, 1894, Section 26, the Parish Council may lease land for allotments to cotters and others under conditions much wider and more generous than those of the English Act. Under these circumstances—and for reasons which I gave in my speech last week—I do not propose to deal with this point in the Crofters' Amendment Bill.

DR. MACGREGOR

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this has been tried, and that the County Council found it impossible to work it without serious expense?

*SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN

It has not been tried. The Parish Council Bill on this point has not come into operation seriously. It was the amendment of the old system which was tried and found wanting.

DR. MACGREGOR

In my constituency two or three applications have been made to the Parish Council for allotments, and it was found impossible to obtain them.

*SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN

Then the applicants ought to have gone to the Local Government Board, who would have over-ridden the Parish Council.

DR. MACGREGOR

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether the sum of £150,000 voted by Parliament some years ago for the purpose of emigrating the Highland people to British Columbia could now be utilised to enable the poorer class of cotters and crofters to occupy some of the land scheduled by the Highlands and Islands Commission for this and other purposes?

*SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN

The British Columbia (Loan) Act, 1892, enabled the sum of £150,000 to be lent at 3 per cent. per annum to the Government of the Province of British Columbia, for the purposes of the transfer and settlement of families from the crofting counties of Scotland. No scheme of the sort contemplated in the Act has been carried out. It is, of course, impossible to apply the money allotted by an Act of Parliament to any purpose except that to which the Statute applies it.

DR. MACGREGOR

Seeing that this money was voted by Parliament for the benefit of the crofters, what does the Government intend to do with it?

*SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN

If it is a question of a fresh grant of £150,000, it should be put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

MR. A. C. MORTON (Peterborough)

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the proposed eviction or re-arrangement of crofters at Kinrossie, Perthshire; whether the object is to annex the crofters' holdings to a large adjoining farm; and, whether he can do anything to prevent these crofters from being turned out of holdings that they have occupied for years, pending the passing of the Crofters' Bill now before the House?

*SIR GEORGE TREVELYAN

I have had a report from the Sheriff of Perthshire on this matter. The crofts of a certain number of crofters are to be attached to a larger farm. Some of these crofters are stated to have resigned their holdings voluntarily, and two of them have received notice to quit in November next. It cannot now be ascertained whether or not they possess the requisite qualification of crofters under the proposed Bill. If the Bill passes that would be for the Crofters' Commission to determine upon the evidence submitted to them.