i68 



English system of River Conservators (as they are 

 termed) might be followed in Scotland. The English 

 Boards consist of two classes of members, proprietors 

 and lessees of fisheries. The proprietors are selected by 

 Quarter Sessions, the number on the board for each district 

 being previously fixed by the Secretary of State for the 

 Home Department ; and to these selected members, there 

 are added a certain number of ex officio proprietors, having 

 a rental from fisheries exceeding ^"30. The other class 

 of persons on the English Boards, are lessees of fishings, 

 and consist of persons holding licences to fish ; for in 

 England (and in Ireland also) it is the law, that persons 

 wishing the privilege of fishing, whether by net, rod, or 

 boat, must take out licences, and pay for them certain 

 dues to be approved of by the Home Secretary. These 

 licence dues form a fund, which is at the disposal of the 

 River Conservators. 



It will be observed from this explanation, that only a 

 small number of the members on the English Boards are 

 members ex officio. The majority are selected, on ac- 

 count of their qualifications for the duty, by others who 

 are supposed capable of judging of these qualifications. 



Now what is the constitution of the Scotch Boards, as 

 explained in the Salmon Act of 1862 ? 



All the Boards consist of the same number of mem- 

 bers, whatever be the size of the district ; viz., three 

 fishery proprietors from the lower parts of a river, and 

 three from the upper parts. If there be in either of 

 these districts, only two fishery proprietors, then, what- 

 ever be the number of proprietors in the other district, 

 the total number on the Board must be four. And if 

 in one of the parts of the river there is only one fishery 

 proprietor, then the total number can only be two members 



