§ MR. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the understanding given in 1899 that there should be no further sales of Crown rights in foreshore fishing by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, he will cancel upon fair terms the sale of foreshore fishing in Orkney which has been made at a small rent.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.I cannot trace 520 any such understanding as my hon. friend refers to in the Question; but, in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for East Aberdeenshire, the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury stated on 16th May, 1899, that in ordinary cases the Commissioners of Woods invariably declined to sell Crown rights of salmon fishing in Scotland, and that sales are made only where there are very exceptional circumstances. The circumstances connected with the one case in Orkney in which an agreement has been made for the sale of Crown rights were very exceptional, as explained by me on 17th February last, in reply to two Questions by the hon. Members for Orkney and Shetland and for Wick Burghs.† The Commissioners of Woods cannot undertake to cancel the agreement for sale.