An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 25, October 1929--September 1930

An Dkmhar, 1929.
Ah GAIDHEAL.
29
Gaelic-speaking ? I am afraid the Executive
Council of An Comunn Gaidhealach “ strain at
a gnat and swallow a camel.” An Comunn
Gaidhealach have shown great apathy in this
matter which they should have considered
long ago, but now they show some qualms of
conscience albeit, they have started at the
wrong end of the administrative line; they
should begin with Sheriff-Substitutes and take
the other law officers in sequence.
And what is the position in Sheriff Courts in
the Gaelic-speaking Sheriffdoms of the Highland
counties to-day. There are still many litigants
invoking the aid of His Majesty’s Courts who
cannot speak English, or very little English, and
there are many witnesses in the same position.
What else could be expected ? They come from
Gaelic-speaking areas and always converse in
Gaelic, and have done so during their lifetime.
They have to appear in the Court. They feel
very much handicapped at the outset because
they come before Court officials who know no
Gaelic, and they have a disinclination to give
their evidence in English because they feel a
decided disadvantage in doing so. They state
before being put on oath that they should
like an interpreter as they have little, or no
English. I may say there is no provision,
in the Sheriff Court Acts, as far as I know,
for an interpreter being retained in the Highland
Sheriff Courts. The witness does not wish to
appear to show his ignorance, and stumbles on
with his evidence in some way, feeling very dis¬
satisfied with himself and generally making a
mess of his case. He meets with “ combers ”
of words in his examination which would do
credit to a student who had studied and
mastered “ Macaulay.” Not having the least
understanding of the meaning of these words,
he answers “ yes ” where he should have said
“ no,” because again he does not wish to show
his ignorance in the Court.
Now I write what I have seen, and this is
British justice in the Highland Law Courts !
The British Government takes pains to see that
justice is meted out to Hindus and Moham¬
medans in their Indian Courts by seeing that
Judges on the Bench are conversant with the
language of their subjects, but the legal judic¬
atory in Scotland would appear to pay little
attention to this. It may not happen very
often. But I ask why should it take place
even once. Why should any of my country¬
men even once be put in a false position, some¬
times to his irreparable loss, as where an action
is decided against him, or still worse where he is
wrongly convicted and sentenced ? This would
be very easily remedied by the Sheriff-Sub¬
stitutes and Procurator-Fiscals in Gaelic¬
speaking areas being able to speak the Gaelic
language. I hope An Comunn Gaidhealach
will take up this very important matter at the
next meeting of the Executive, and make
representations to the Scottish Office on the
subject.—I am, etc.
Gleann Moe.
From The Scotsman.
$
ISLAND SANCTUARY.
Peaceful art thou amongst thy green hills,
The grey rocks about thee,
The dark waves beating at thy door.
Peaceful are they who sleep in the grey
shelter of thy walls,
Chiefs and warriors who hear no more the
din of swords.
The sweet singer of the isles thou hast in
keeping,
Silent her voice, her songs aflame from isle
to isle.
Guard well thy sleeping children, 0 grey
St. Clement’s,
The sound of the wind is their pibroch for
evermore.
Bessie J. B. MacAethue.
0
SUTHERLAND PROVINCIAL MOD.
The fifth Annual Sutherland Provincial Mod
was held at Lair on Friday, 6th September,
This was the most successful of the series,
and the local committee, Mr W.G. M. MacLeod,
convener; Mr. Angus MacNeill, hon. secretary,
and Mr. A. MacKintosh, treasurer, are to be con¬
gratulated on the result of their labours. Miss
Jean MacNab, M.A., did excellent work for An
Comunn in the county by preparing Soloists and
Choirs for the Mod. Nine parishes out of 13 were
represented at the Mod, thus proving that the
movement is spreading and taking firm root.
Mr. A. N. Ma'cAulay, D.L., Convener of the
County, presided at the Mod proceedings and
also at the grand concert held in the evening
when fully 700 people attended. Lady Edgar
Horne, Lairg House, presented the prizes to
the successful competitors. The prize-winners
were assisted by Mr. John M. Bannerman,
Mr. Roderick MacLeod, and Miss Rhoda
MacLeod, Inverness.
The adjudicators were :—Gaelic—Rev. R.
L. Ritchie, Creich; Mr. J. R. Bannerman,
Glasgow ; and Mr. Neil Shaw, Glasgow. Music
—Mr. D. T. Yacamini, Perth; and Mr. Rod.
MacLeod, Inverness.