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except to give information to a Government Commissioner who 
knows his work, and has power to enforce the law.” 
Another proprietor wrote: “I do not approve of Boards. 
There ought to be Government Inspectors, independent of the 
proprietors, ‘The inspectors should make an examination of the 
river at least twice a year—the proprietors and tenants, using the 
weirs and exercising the right of fishing, being subject to his 
orders, with a right of appeal to the Sheriff.” ‘ 
Another proprietor wrote as follows :—The Board, of which I 
am a member, is utterly useless ; the proof of which is, that there 
is here a good salmon river without salmon, at least above 
Brechin. The members cannot be got together. We don’t 
understand all matters connected with salmon fishing, and we 
don’t like to interfere with our neighbours. None of the upper 
proprietors think of attending the Board meetings, because there 
is no salmon fishing above Brechin; so the lower proprietors are 
allowed to do as they like.” 
From the /Vess District the following remarks came :—‘‘ The 
constitution of the Boards is not satisfactory. The districts also 
are badly arranged. ‘The Boards are formed on the principle of 
having all matters relating to the fisheries conducted by fishery 
proprietors, and giving a completely preponderating interest to 
the upper as against the lower proprietors, or the reverse, without 
any representation of the public interest. The Boards should be 
composed in whole, or at least to the extent of two or three 
members, for each district, of Government Commissioners ; and 
the existing arrangements for giving a dominating influence to 
one class should be abolished. The district should also be 
enlarged. I think the Ness, Beauly, Conon, and Nairn, and 
their tributaries, should form one district, and a specified number 
of members should be entitled to call meetings, or require the 
clerk to do so.” 
Another proprietor in the Ness District wrote as follows :— 
“ All fishery proprietors should have a voice at the Board, or else 
be exempted from taxation. 
“T suggest also that a district. embracing several rivers, such as 
the Ness, might advantageously be placed under the management 
