MR. CATHCART WASONI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if his attention has been called to a case in Orkney where a cottar, on a verbal agreement that he would receive consideration for his improvements if his lease was not renewed, on the good faith of such agreement built a dwelling-house, drained and improved the land, is now warned out, forfeits his house, all his improvements, his life's work; and whether, in view of such treatment, he will consider the advisability of making the Small Landowners Bill have retrospective effect from the day of its First Reading.
§ MR. SINCLAIRThe facts presented by my hon. friend certainly seem to constitute a hard case; but not, I think, such a case as would justify the consideration of the proposal he puts forward.