§ MR. WEIRTo ask the Lord-Advocate whether he is aware that on Saturday, 18th July last, the sheriff officer forcibly 1732 entered the house of John Murray, a crofter residing alone on a croft at Laidbreack, Bonar Bridge, inherited from his grandfather twenty years since, and, during the crofters' absence from home, removed his goods and burnt the house to the ground; and will he state why this official adopted such extreme measures, and whether steps will be taken to arrest this method of carrying out evictions.
(Answered by Mr. Thomas Shaw.) I have perused a Report from the chief constable on this subject with certain depositions and documents. While it appears from these that John Murray is not a crofter as alleged, and has never been tenant of the subjects at Laidbreack, and neither worked the land nor had stock thereon, I have thought it right to remit the question to the Crown Office, and I have directed that a special Report from the procurator fiscal should be made upon the eviction proceedings referred to. These proceedings were presumably taken on the responsibility of the proprietor.