46 
conduct prosecutions), the formation of a Board was felt to be 
impracticable. 
With the view of meeting this difficulty, the Commissioners 
suggested, that “if the system of District Boards is to be carried 
out and extended, we are of opinion that many of the smaller 
adjacent districts might be advantageously combined.” 
It will be observed that the Commissioners, in offering this 
suggestion as a remedy, speak of it in no terms of confidence. 
Undoubtedly some expense would be saved by having one clerk 
for a district embracing three or four Boards. But, on the other 
hand, the greater distances which members of such a Board 
would have to travel, might prevent attendance at meetings ; and 
the rivers in the enlarged or combined district might still yield so 
small a rental, that any reasonable assessment on that rental 
would not provide watchers for all the rivers. 
The Commissioners, apparently from want of faith in the 
efficacy of Fishery Boards, even when combined, referred to 
another plan, by stating that ‘it has likewise been proposed, that 
inspectors should be appointed, as in England, who should exercise 
the powers of District Boards in those districts where Boards do 
not exist, and who should have a seat at meetings of District 
Boards, but no vote.” 
And this suggestion the Commissioners, at the conclusion of 
their Report, actually adopt as a recommendation to Government, 
in the following terms, viz. “¢hat Government Inspectors should 
be appointed, to enforce the provisions of the Salmon Fishery Acts 
in districts where Boards have not been constituted.” 
But this recommendation seems one of doubtful practicability. 
In the first place, though it is said that in England, Fishery 
Inspectors exercise the powers of District Boards, the evidence of 
this statement is not referred to. In the second place, when it is 
said that the Government Inspectors are to “ exercise the powers 
of Boards,” and “enforce the provisions of the Salmon Acts,” 
how can these powers be exercised by an official residing in 
Edinburgh? Is he, in the absence of any Fishery Board in a 
district, to appoint watchers for the rivers there ?—or order 
prosecutions ?—or levy assessments ? 
