HC Deb 09 April 1897 vol 48 cc843-4
MR. WEIR

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the inhabitants of the village of Causer, in the Badenoch District of Inverness-shire, obtain their water supply from the river Nethy; that since a recent outbreak of typhus fever the water has been pronounced to be polluted with sewage and unfit for drinking purposes; and that the pollution of the river has taken place within the last 40 years; and whether any steps have been taken to stop the pollution of the river above the village of Causer?

* THE LORD ADVOCATE

The facts are substantially as stated in the first part of the Question, except that no such outbreak as is mentioned appears to have recently occurred. In order to secure a good water supply, the Local Authority got decree from the Court ordaining the inhabitants to provide it, which, unfortunately their poverty prevents them from implementing. The Local Authority have hitherto declined to take any other steps to secure this end, either by freeing the river from pollution or otherwise.