§ Mr. SCOTT DICKSONasked the Lord-Advocate whether his attention has been called to the decision of Mr. Commissioner Macintyre, one of the Crofter Commissioners, in the case of John Macrae, crofter, against Mr. H. S. C. Smithson, of Lentran, Inverness-shire, under which 1242W Mr. Macrae, whose croft consisted of nine acres arable and four acres pasture, at an annual fair rent of £6 10s., was found entitled to £295 as compensation for improvements on the holding; what were the improvements; on what annual value was the holding rated when Mr. Macrae renounced his holding; has the holding been let to another crofter; and, if so, at what rent and at what value has it been entered in the valuation roll to the new holder?
§ Mr. UREThe facts of the case are as follows:—This holding was formerly rented at £8 10s. In 1888 the Crofters Commission fixed a fair rent of £6 10s. for it. The crofter, John Macrae, renounced the tenancy and the renunciation took effect at Whit Sunday, 1911. He lodged an application with the Crofters Commission in terms of Sections 8 and 10 of the Crofters Act, in which he claimed a sum of £449 12s. 6d. as compensation for permanent improvements. In order to obtain an immediate judgment both landlord and crofter agreed by Joint-Minute to refer the claim to the sole decision of Mr. Commissioner Macintyre. Mr. Macintyre heard the parties and inspected all the subjects in respect of which compensation was claimed. These consisted of a good slated dwelling-house, byre, stable, cart-shed, poultry-house and (with consent of parties) 2,200 yards of wire fencing, etc. After the inquiry Mr. Macintyre fixed the compensation due at the sum of £296, as representing the value of the improvements to an incoming tenant. The holding has been let to another tenant, who has undertaken to pay the landlord (Mr. Smithson) such sum as might be awarded the outgoing crofter for the permanent improvements, he, by his arrangement with Mr. Smithson, being entitled to compensation for improvements in like manner in the event of his quitting the holding. The fair rent of £6 10s. applied to the land embraced in the holding and did not include any consideration for the permanent improvements which were executed by the tenant. The holding is entered in the Valuation Roll of last year as being of the annual value of £6 10s. The Valuation Roll for the current year is not yet published.