16 PROCEEDINGS AT GEXEKAL MEETINGS. 



acquired and communicated to Mr. Telford -was acknowledged by him in the fidlest 

 manner. At the request of Mr. Telford, the Society reported on the importance of 

 opening communication by roads and bridges in the Highlands ; and in consequence of 

 the information and suggestions communicated, Government voted large sums for the 

 purpose of enabling proprietors of estates in the Highlands to carry roads through dis- 

 tricts where without such aid they could not possibly have been accomplished. In 

 short, it was believed the Societj' had been productive of so much good in the past that 

 the committee, anxious that the original objects should not be lost sight of, had no 

 hesitation in recommending the Directors to re-establish a department on Highland 

 industries and fisheries. To this the Board readily agreed. Since then the Secretary 

 and other members of the Committee have had an opportunity of attending the National 

 Fisheries Exhibition held at Norwich in April last. They considered it most interest- 

 ing, and that much of it coidd be introduced into the Society's general shows. Recently 

 the Council of the Scottish Fisheries Improvement Association have memorialised the 

 Lord Provost, Magistrates, and To^\ti Council of Edinburgh in favour of holdiag a 

 national fisheries exhibition in Edinburgh in April 18S2, and the matter has been re- 

 mitted to the Lord Provost's Committee. At a subsequent meeting of the Society's 

 Committee, a letter was read from the Secretary of the Scottish Fisheries Improvement 

 Association, requesting the Directors to appoint a Committee to co-operate with the 

 Lord Provost's Committee, the Council of the Scotch Fisheries Improvement Associa- 

 tion, and the Fishery Board. The Directors acceded to the request, and appointed the 

 Committee on Highland Industries and Fisheries to represent the Society. It has been 

 also suggested that the exhibition proposed to be held in Edinburgh in April next 

 should Ije made international. 



Mr. Milne Home said that what was much wanted in this country was what existed 

 in other countries for the protection of the fresh-water fish — namely. Government 

 inspectors, who should perambulate the country and see that the law was carried out. 

 In England and Ireland there were inspectors who had these powers, and who reported 

 when they considered necessary. In Scotland they were so badly off as to have no 

 inspectors and no boards. Application had been made to the Government to have this 

 state of matters remedied, but nothing had yet been done. The Fisheries Improvement 

 Association, of which he had the honour of being a member, was foi-med in the hope of 

 inducing the Government to take up the matter, and establishing greater protection for 

 the fresh- water fisheries. He trusted the Highland and Agricultural Society, which 

 was the most infiuential Society in Scotland, wonld take up this matter in earnest. It 

 was not for a young society such as the one to which he had referred to deal with the 

 question so much as for this Society with its 5000 members to do so. It would no 

 doubt be listened to by the Government if it made some application to have better 

 protection for the fisheries. Several applications had been made to the Government on 

 the subject, but they had been received only with courteous terms and empty promises. 

 He hoped that the Directors would see their way to encourage the fisheries, and endea- 

 vour to obtain some improvementjin the executive protection of these fisheries. He Avas 

 reminded of a discussion that took place in the House of Lords the other night with 

 reference to many subjects of public importance in Scotland which did not receive that 

 attention from Government which they out to receive. This was one subject which 

 ought to receive their attention, and he might mention that the Convention of Royal 

 Burghs had sent up remonstrances on the subject. He thought that it would not be 

 out of the way to sent up petitions to both the House of Lords and the House of Corn- 

 Commons, asking that more attention should be given to Scotch affairs. This subject 

 of the fisheries was a good illustration of how much had been promised and how little 

 had been done. 



Sir James Gibson-Maitland said he thought that the whole history of this Society 

 was a sufficient guarantee that they would get something from Government if they 

 made the necessary representations. They had been successful hitherto, and he had 

 no doubt they would be successful again. 



The motion was unanimously adopted. 



Mr. Irvine of Drum laid on the table the Transactions' oi the Society ; and the 

 proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. 



GENERAL MEETING AT STIRLING, 27th JULY 1881. 



The Right Hon. the £arl of Mar and Kellie, Vice-President, in the chair. 



The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said — My Lords and gentlemen, the 

 only business before the meeting is a series of resolutions to be proposed by the Hon. 

 Mr. Waldegrave Leslie. I hope that Mr. Leslie and the gentlemen who speak on these 

 resolutions will be as brief as they possibly can, and confine themselves to the matter 



