Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Lord Advocate, in view of the questions which 1364 have arisen with reference to access to Loch Lomond, whether his attention has been called to the fact that in or about the year 1884 there was an arbitration between the county road trustees of Dumbartonshire and Sir James Colquhoun, of Luss, for the acquisition by the former from the latter of the ferry rights, the then existing bridge, and such rights as were necessary for the building of the present bridge at Balloch; whether, under the award which followed, the county road trustees paid to Sir James Colquhoun £6,000 or thereabouts, or any, and, if so, what, other sum for the subject of the arbitration; what they obtained for that payment; whether the subjects which they obtained were specified in writing in any transfer, deed, or disposition; and, if so, where access can be had thereto, in order that there may be an accurate ascertainment of the rights to, and connected with, the land in question, now vested in the Dumbartonshire County Council as successors to the county road trustees?
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Ure)I am not aware of the arbitration between the County Road Trustees of Dumbartonshire and Sir James Colquhoun referred to by my hon. Friend. But if there was such an arbitration, then the papers containing the records of the proceedings therein will be, no doubt, in the custody of the county clerk of Dumbartonshire. These papers will disclose the information which my hon. Friend desires to obtain.
Mr. DUNDAS WHITEIf I put down this question for the week after next, will the Lord Advocate communicate with the county clerk of Dumbartonshire in order to obtain information on the points mentioned, as they are very important?