§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, as representing the Secretary for Scotland, whether the Congested Districts Board have received from the landless cottars of Bernera, Lewis, intimation that they are about to take forcible possession of Croir Farm, in consequence of the Board having taken no steps to acquire it until after the landowner had recently re-let it, and this notwithstanding the fact that they have repeatedly made application for the farm during the last seven years; and, in view of the unrest amongst the landless cottars of the Hebrides, will the Congested Districts Board endeavour to come to some understanding with the proprietor and the new tenant to secure the settlement of the people on Croir Farm.
I beg also to ask the Lord Advocate, having regard to a statement in the Report of the Congested Districts Board for Scotland to the effect that the people of the Island of Bernera expressed a strong desire to obtain holdings on Croir Farm, Lewis, in December, 1900, is the Secretary for Scotland aware that the people applied for this farm in the previous year; and will he explain why the Board made no attempt to secure the farm until the application of December last was received.
*MR. A. GRAHAM MURRAYI propose to reply to the hon. Member's two questions together. It is the fact 64 that an application was made in the year 1898 for Croir Farm for the purpose of dividing it into a few small holdings. This application was carefully considered at the time, but in the general interests of the locality it was not deemed expedient to give effect to it. It may be added that the West Highlands and Islands Commission was presumably of the same opinion as the farm was not one of those scheduled by the Commission as suitable for the formation of crofter's holdings.