§ Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that the roads serving the Shinness holdings were handed over to the holders by the Board of Agriculture in an unsatisfactory condition and of the serious financial difficulties with which these holders are faced owing to the fall in the value of sheep-stock, he will now authorise the necessary work to be undertaken by the Board of Agriculture to put the roads in a proper state of repair?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs stated in the reply given to the hon. Baronet on 14th June last, my information is that these roads were handed over to the holders in a proper state of repair, but the holders have since failed to carry carry out their obligation to maintain them. I am not prepared to authorise any further expenditure by the Board on the repair of these service roads in present circumstances. If, however, the county council were prepared to add them to the list of county highways and to meet part of the cost of the work required before that could be done, the Board would be prepared to consider the question of making some contribution.