§ Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if the Crown lands of Dorrery, in Caithness, were recently cleared of stock for the purpose of making a deer forest; what expenditure has been 1280W incurred up to date for the purpose; how many claims for compensation for depredation by deer and other game have been made in regard to it; what amount of compensation has been paid; how many claims are still unsettled, and the amount of them; what steps are being taken to prevent further depredations; how much is being spent in the erection of deer fences; whether a claim has been made by the trustees of the late James Sinclair, of Forres, for £17 6s. 9d., in respect to total destructions of last year's turnip crop, £15 and damage to fences, £2 6s. 9d., on the croft of Robert Macpherson, crofter, in the parish of Reay, the actual amount of the damage having been assessed by a practical farmer; whether the Crown factor tried to bargain with the crofter by asking him to accept £13; whether the crofter has been unable to pay his rent owing to the destruction of his crop; whether the amount of rent due for the year to Whitsun is £11, and is thus less than the amount of compensation offered by the Crown factor; and whether a summons has been served on the crofter for payment of the rent of £11, and asking that the crofter should further be found liable for an additional year's rent under threat of ejection?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUpon the reletting of the Crown lands in Dorrery, in Caithness, from Whit Sunday, 1901, an area of about 3,025 acres at the southern end of the estate, which my predecessors were advised was of little use for grazing, was at a cost of about £115, fenced off with a sheep fence from the remainder of the farm so as to exclude the sheep from that area, which was reserved entirely for sporting. Beyond small sums expended in repairs to this sheep fence, and in feeding the deer in the winter in order to prevent them straying on adjoining holdings, and the cost of constructing a moor road for the benefit of the sporting generally, no other expenditure has been made by the Crown in connection with the deer forest. The question of raising the sheep fence to make it an effective deer fence is now under consideration. Six claims have been made by tenants on the Bramlbin estate against their landlords, the trustees of the late Mr. James Sinclair, of Forres, in respect of damage done by deer to crops and fences. Although the Crown is under no legal liability to meet or indemnify the claims which these tenants may have against their landlords and it is not clear that all the deer came from Dorrery, it was considered 1281W that on equitable grounds the Crown should make reasonable compensation to the tenants, and the local factor was instructed to settle with the tenants accordingly. Four of the claims have now been agreed at the total sum of £44 2s. 6d. In one of the remaining two cases the tenants have no legal claim under the Statutes governing the matter, and in the other, that of Mr. Robert Macpherson, a claim was made as stated in the question, but the Crown factor has been unable to adjust it with the tenant, who declines to settle on the same basis as the other tenants. It is understood that rent is owing by Mr. R. Macpherson, and that proceedings are pending for the recovery thereof, but I am not aware of the exact amount owing. Failing acceptance by Macpherson of the offer made by the Crown I can only leave him to pursue his statutory claim against his landlords.