§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, having regard to the fact that the lease of Croir Farm, Island of Lewis, has terminated, and that the farm is said to be most suitable for the location of crofters, fishermen, and others, will he say whether the proprietor has been or will be approached with a view to the acquisition of the farm by the Congested Districts Board for the purpose of relieving the congestion in the district? I beg also to ask the Lord' Advocate whether the application made to the Congested Districts Board in the summer of last year by the inhabitants of the township of Croir, Island of Lewis, has yet been considered; and, if so, will, he state the nature of the decision?
MR. GRAHAM MURRAYI will answer the honourable Member's Questions 23 and 24 together. I am informed by the Congested Districts Board that the application from the township of Croir was fully considered in November last, and a reply was sent to the applicants on the 5th of that month to the effect that there was no prospect of being able to acquire this farm; and that they were mistaken in supposing that the farm was recognised by the Highlands and Islands Commission of 1892 "as a suitable place for crofting fishermen." The fact is that the Commissioners of 1892 took the view that, under all the circumstances, it was more advantageous to the locality to 793 have this land in the form of a single farm than divided up into small holdings, and, accordingly, the lands of Croir were not coloured in the map annexed to their Report. Under these circumstances, it is not intended to approach the proprietor on the subject.