( 65 ) 



instead of being any injury, is of decided manurial 

 value. Instead of being patted on the back, and 

 encouraged by erroneous comments, the witnesses 

 who made this complaint, ought to have been cros^- 

 examined upon it, and when the truth was ascertained 

 it would have been apparent that they deserved rebuke 

 for their selfishness and injustice. For it is quite 

 obvious that if they could prevent this temporary use 

 of the sandy links of Tyree, the real injury would fall 

 mainly upon their poorest neighbours — upon the 

 cottars and upon the smallest crofters of the Island, 

 who are generally the contractors for the collection, 

 drying, and burning of the weed. The Seaweed 

 Company is bound by its lease to compensate for 

 any agricultural damage it may occasion, and if 

 the tenants neither get nor ask for any compensa- 

 tion it is for the very good reason that they could 

 not prove any damage at all. But if this com- 

 plaint were listened to, very great damage indeed 

 would arise to the most needy of their neighbours. 

 A better example could hardly be given of the manu- 

 facture of grievances, and of the use to which the 

 manufacture is put. 



I am very sorry that, before passing from tlie sittings Questions put hy 

 of the Royal Commission on my estate, I should find y|jtosh tTir^" 

 myself under the necessity of referring to a matter Wyllie, the Duke'd 

 which, though primarily affecting individuals only, is ^ "^"^ ^* ^^"* 

 nevertheless a matter of real public interest. I deem 

 it to be my duty to complain of certain questions 

 which were addressed to my chamberlain, Mr. Wyllie, 

 by one of your Lordship's colleagues, Mr. Fraser 

 Mackintosh. " Is it, or is it not, the chief duty of a 

 chamberlain to raise rents 1 " is one of those questions. 



