§ MR. BUCHANANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to the last Report of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, from which it appears that they have sold in the course of the year two further Crown salmon fishings in Scotland; what were the exceptional circumstances under which these sales were made; and whether he will give an assurance to the House that no further sales will take place until the House has! had an opportunity of pronouncing an opinion on this return on the part of the Commissioners to a policy which was condemned by the Government and the House in 1888.
§ MR. HANBURYAS explained in answer to the hon. Member's question on the 16th of May last,* the Commissioners of Woods in ordinary cases invariably decline to sell Crown lights to salmon fishings in Scotland, and sales are only made when there are very exceptional circumstances rendering that course desirable. In the two cases referred to in the present question the exceptional circumstances were that the Crown title was disputed and litigation was avoided by the sales. I am not prepared to give the assurance suggested by the hon. Member.