§ THE DUKE OF RICHMOND, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that in 1859 a Commission which had inquired into this subject, had recommended that a Commission should be created to regulate the Scotch fisheries with power to make by-laws. The law respecting the Scotch salmon fisheries had been dealt with by several Acts of Parliament in 1862, 1863, and 1864. In 1866 a Bill was introduced in their Lordships' House 1629 the main object of which was to confirm and make binding the by-laws which had been framed by the Commissioners. The Bill was referred to a Select Committee of their Lordships, by whom it was considered, and was afterwards passed by the House as amended; but in the Commons it was withdrawn on account of the lateness of the Session. The present Bill was substantially the same as that of 1866. There were, however, some recommendations of the Committee which being likely to give occasion to controversy had not been embodied in the present Bill. If their Lordships were pleased to read the Bill the second time these questions could be very properly considered in Committee.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a"—(The Duke of Richmond.)
THE EARL OF AIRLIEapproved the general principle of the Bill; but believed he was not singular in fearing that some most desirable clauses had been omitted from it.
§ LORD ABINGERsaid, he believed that the main object of the Bill was the confirmation of the by-laws of the Commissioners. By the Act of 1862 every river in Scotland had been formed into a separate district; but it had been found in practice that the provisions of the Act could not be carried out. He trusted that the question of the Solway would receive attention, and that the present anomalous system by which the fixed engines in the English and Scotch sides of the river were differently dealt with would be abolished. This could only be accomplished by providing that no method of fishing should be legal in Scotland which would be illegal were it situated in England. He perfectly acknowledged the necessity of legislation on the question of the Solway Firth; but he doubted whether it was prudent to attempt to deal with it at this period of the Session.
§ Motion agreed to: Bill read 2a accordingly and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.