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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. "that 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 ? 



