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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 Ness 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. 



" I suggest also that a district embracing several rivers, such as 

 the Ness, might advantageously be placed under the management 



