199 



not always been smooth. The jealousies and sparring of upper 

 and lower proprietors on these Boards, are occasionally referred 

 to by the late Dr. Buckland in his Annual Reports. But in 

 England and Ireland the local Boards have several advantages 

 over those in Scotland, to secure harmonious action. 



In the first place, there are Government Inspectors in England 

 and Ireland, men of great intelligence, experience, and social 

 weight, whose duty it is, and whose practice it has been, to assist 

 Boards by their advice, and also to visit districts, when personal 

 inspection is necessary. 



In the second place, the funds at the command of the Boards 

 in England and Ireland are not raised by assessment on the 

 members of the Boards, as under the Scotch Acts. The funds are, 

 in both of these countries, raised by means of licences, which 

 have to be taken out for the use of nets, boats, and rods, and the 

 dues for which are mostly paid by persons not members of the 

 Boards. The amount of licence dues paid in the year 1880 for 

 England was ^"9331, and for Ireland ^"9700. It is a proof 

 alike of the efficiency and popularity of licences in England, 

 that two years ago that system was extended to include angling 

 for trout, which (at only is. per rod) in England already yields a 

 yearly income of above ^1500. 



Then, besides the funds raised by licences, there is in Ireland 

 important assistance given by the Coast-Guard for repressing 

 poaching along the sea coast, and by the Constabulary for 

 punishing persons guilty of polluting rivers. 



In the third place, the Government Inspectors in England and 

 Ireland draw up annual reports, to be laid before Government and 

 Parliament, in which not only is there information respecting the 

 state of the fisheries generally, but particular information of the 

 operations of the local Boards in charge of the different rivers. 



In the fourth place, it should be recollected that Scotland, 

 especially in the Highland districts, is less densely peopled by 

 resident proprietors than England and Ireland. The distances 

 which members have to travel, to attend Board meetings is, 

 therefore, much greater in many parts of Scotland, than in the 

 other divisions of the kingdom. 



