§ Mr. COWANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether certain Moray Firth salmon fishings, the property of the Crown, which have hitherto been let by public tender, have now been let by the Office of Woods and Forests as from Martinmas next to a private syndicate, without any opportunity being given either to the public or to the present lessees of tendering for the same; if this is the case, whether he can state the grounds of such a departure from precedent; and whether he is aware that such a change will inflict hardship upon large numbers of poor fishermen at present employed by the lessees?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs stated in my answers to previous questions on the 7th and yesterday, the agreement to let to a company was provisional, and further inquiries are being prosecuted before a final decision is arrived at.