I08 GREAT BRITAIN AND IREI,AND - MISCELLANEOUS 



§ 4. The congested districts hoard and its work. 



It was partly in order to remedy the limitations thus placed upon the 

 work of the Crofters Commission, and partly in order to pro\dde more ex- 

 tended assistance out of public funds, that the Congested Districts Board 

 was established in 1897, following a precedent already set in the admini- 

 stration of Ireland. This Board consisted of the Secretary for Scotland, 

 the Under-Secretary for Scotland, the Chairmen of three of the administrat- 

 ive bodies concerned with the districts in which it was to operate — the IvOcal 

 Government Board for Scotland, the Fisher}^ for Board Scotland and the 

 Crofters Commission — and certain other members. They were empowered to 

 aid the development of agriculture, fishing and home industries, in the con- 

 gested districts, migration from these districts to other parts of Scotlad, the 

 formation of nevv holdings and the provision of public works, such as piers, 

 roads and bridges. For these purposes an annual sum of £35,000 was 

 made available. The sphere of their operations, as defined by them, 

 having regard to population and valuation, extended until the year 191 1 

 to 65 out of the 151 crofting parishes, including practically all the western 

 islands from Islay to I^ewis, almost the whole of the county of Sutherland, 

 most of Orkney and Shetland, and smaller parts of Caithness and the 

 mainland parts of Ross and Inverness. In 1911 the whole of the crofting 

 parishes were brought within their sphere. 



The operations of the Board extended over a period of more than four- 

 teen years. During that time they expended over £500,000, including 

 both grants and loans, in carrying out the various duties imposed on them. 



The policy of land settlement was carried out bj- the purchase of estates 

 and by co-operation with landlords in the pro\'ision of new holdings and 

 enlargements. Six estates, extending altogether to 84,000 acres, were 

 purchased at a total cost of £ 129,000, and these, where they were not 

 already occupied b>' small holders, were di\'ided into holdings of suitable 

 sizes. On three of the estates these holdings ^^ ere sold to settlers at pur- 

 chase price annuities. Loans were also made to the settlers for the purpose 

 of providing buildings. Subsequently, however, the settlers on two of the 

 estates asked that they might be placed instead in the status of crofters, 

 paying rent for the land instead of purchase annuities. This was done, and 

 these crofters are now, as " landholders " under the Act of 1911, the tenants 

 of the Board of Agricultur of Scotland, in succession to te Congested Dis- 

 tricts Board. In the third case a similar request \^as made, but it was 

 pointed out to the settlers that the land had been disposed of to them on 

 such favourable terms that they would receive no advantage from the pro- 

 posed change, and no furher steps have been taken in the matter. In all 

 three cases the chief reason for the dissatisfaction of the settlers was the 

 burden of the " owner's rates" — that proportion of the local taxation which 

 is levied on the proprietor of land or buildings. This is a jDoint of consider- 



