§ Mr. COCHRANEasked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board supplied a bull for the use of the Prestwick district of Caithness, and that the farmer in whose charge it was placed was gored to death by the bull; whether the Congested Districts Board ordered the bull to be destroyed and buried; whether the skin and carcase had any marketable value, if so, why the family of the deceased farmer were not permitted to sell them; and what compensation has been paid to the relatives of the deceased farmer?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEIn February, 1908, the Congested Districts Board supplied a bull to the township of Aukengill, Caithness, on their usual conditions: (a) that the Grazings Committee should make their own arrangements for the keep of the bull, and (b) that the committee is responsible for damage done by the bull while in their custody, and that under no circumstances will the Board make good such damage. The committee placed the bull under the charge of a farmer, who, unfortunately, was fatally injured by the animal in August last. The bull was destroyed in accordance with local custom in such cases. No proposal was made that the family should sell the skin and carcase. Deeply as the Board regret this accident, they cannot admit that they are responsible in compensation for the death. They had no business relations whatever with the farmer.