An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Sruth > Volume 1 > No. 31, 30 May 1968

Sruth, Di-ardaoin, 30 latha de’n Cheitein 1968
Nine
CROFTERS AS OWNER-OCCUPIERS?
The question whether crofters
should become owner-occupiers of
their holdings is discussed in the
Annual Report of the Crofters
Commission for 1967 (HMSO,
price 4s 3d).
This is a major issue and the
Commission have approached it
cautiously. A resolution from the
Federation of Crofters’ Unions
urged that crofters should be
given the right, if they so desire,
to become owner-occupiers of
their crofts in exchange for a pay¬
ment to the landlord of a capi¬
talisation of the rent at a sum and
over a period determinable by the
Scottish Land Court.
The Federation’s proposal was
discussed at a conference of Com¬
mission Assessors in November
and the Report states that further
conferences with assessors and
with Union representatives are to
be held in the Spring.
Although the Report does not
state a Commission view on the
question of owner-occupier it does
point to several serious disadvan¬
tages both for crofters and the
state under the present system of
land tenure.
The Report states: “ A consid¬
erable proportion of the Com¬
mission's time is consumed in ad¬
ministrative work which is re¬
quired to regulate the landlord'
tenant relationship but which is
otherwise largely unproductive, ff
crofters were owner-occupiers the
need for this detailed regulative
work would disappear.”
It is also pointed out that the
regulative duties imposed on the
Commission by statute have had
little effect on the agricultural
structure and in so far as there
Present System Stifles Initiative
is scope for improving the agri¬
cultural structure in the crofting
areas, the Agriculture Act of 1967
provides another instrument for
bringing it about.
So far as the crofter himself is
concerned the Commission state:
“ Where non-agricultural develop¬
ments are taking place the crofter
suffers a number of serious dis¬
abilities. The security of tenure
conferred on him in 1886 applies
only to agricultural uSes of land.
Where changes in land use take
place the crofter has no real se¬
curity, he does not share in the
increased land values resulting
from the change, and, although he
has a statutory right to use the
croft himself for non-agricultural
purposes, in practice he often finds
it necessary to acquire a more
secure title from his landlord, if
the landlord is prepared to give
it. Under the present system,
therefore, the crofter’s initiative
tends to be stifled and it is in his
interests to resist non-agricultural
development rather than welcome
The Commission also point out
that the absentee who is dis-
posessed by the Commission is
more favourably treated in re¬
gard to the disposal of the croft
house than the resident crofter.
The Report draws attention to
the close contact which the Com¬
mission keep with crofter opinion
through a large Panel of Assessors
who are appointed “ as nearly as
possible ” on an elective basis;
over 700 Grazings Committees
“ probably the smallest unit of
democratic Government which we
have in Britain;” and the Crofters
Unions. The Commission also
issue notes to parties explaining
the reasons for the Commission’s
decision in any particularly diffi¬
cult case.
A major part of the Report
deals with the general work of the
Commission in administering the
Crofters Acts.
A section describing the Com¬
mission’s administrative functions
includes details of the changes in
tenancies occurring in the course
of the year and the financial as¬
sistance paid to crofters.
The total amount of grant paid
to crofters and legal sub-tenants
of crofts to promote agricultural
development was £512,004. Of
this amount £295,591 was for the
cropping of marginal land (tillage
and grass), and it is pointed out
that these grants are subject to
strict conditions in regard to the
application of lime and fertilisers
which have “ undoubtedly served
to raise the standard of husbandry
markedly over the area as a
whole.” The balance of £216,413
was paid in grants for pasture im¬
provement and for fencing, drain¬
age. access roads, water supplies
and other equipment. The total
area of land improvement carried
out by crofters with the use of
Commission grants since 1956 now
stands at 28,023 acres.
Attention is also drawn to the
increasing interest shown by crof¬
ters in the apportionment of areas
of common grazings for individual
use. Since 1955 the Commission
Naidheachdan Mu \a h-Eaglaisean
Air A’ Ghaidhealtachd
Le “ FEAR-FAIRE ”
have granted 1,062 apportionments
to individuals in respect of some
20,000 acres and of this total
11,694 acres were in Shetland.
Advisory and Review Functions
Another section of the Report
covers the Commission’s advisory
and review functions and deals
mainly with their liason with other
bodies whose work bears cn the
welfare of crofters. The Report
brings out that one of the Com¬
mission’s major functions is to
co-ordinate the activities of a num¬
ber of organisations, local and
national, statutory and voluntary,
which touch the interests of the
crofter in respect of both his ag¬
ricultural and non-agricultural ac¬
tivities.
The Report describes how this
principle has been put into prac¬
tice in Tiree where a committee,
under the chairmanship of the
Commissioner for the area, has
been set up to act as a iiaison
between the local crofters and
those agencies having a respon¬
sibility for development in the
island.
Some of the other matters with
which the Commission have been
concerned are forestry r on com¬
mon grazings; production and
marketing of calves in the Uists;
the tourist industry and a schools
project aimed at improving the
appearance of crofting villages.
The Commission have also been
consulted by the Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries for
Scotland in regard to experimen¬
tal schemes for the multi-purpose
development of the Secretary of
State’s crofting estates at Sunart,
Ardnamurchan and Kilmuir, Skye.
AIR TUR
NA
FAIRE
fl ; E AG LAIS NA H-ALBA
I Ministear Cheann-loch
[V Air an t-16mh latha de’n
B Cheitean chaidh an t-Urr.
fl Daibhidh MacAongfiais a phos-
w adh ri eaglais Cheann-loch ann
| an Cleir Leodhais. Is ann do
B Leumrabhagh a bhuineas Mgr.
B MacAonghais agus thug e a
i mach fhoghlum ann an Oil-
1 thaigh Dhim-eideann agus anns
'p a’ Cholaisde Nuaidh. Tha e air
,• a bhith bliadhna ann an Glas-
E chu ’na fhear-cuideachaidh aig
k an Oil. Urr. T. M. MacCal-
Rl main. Tha am ministear ur
§} posda agus is ann a Bail’
M Ailein ann an sgire Cheann-
ol loch a tha a bhean.
I Tha eaglais Cheann-loch air
a bhith ban bho’n leig an t-TJrr.
fl Ruairidh Moireach dheth uall-
aj ach a’ choimhthionail an uiridh.
fl Tha sinn toilichte gu bheil Mgr.
H Moireach a nis air iirachadh
sli slainte fhaighinn agus tha e a’
fl searmonachadh a rithist.
has, ’na mhinistear ’sa bhaile—
tha e an diugh ann an Calder-
cruix, ann an siorrachd Lann-
raig.
A’ Fagail Mhuile
Thug dith na slainte air an
Urr. I. D. MacGhille-dhuinn
ciil a chur ri coimhthional
Thobar-mhoire ann am Muile.
Thug e a mach dreuchd na
! ministrealachd ann an 1923,
agus tha coig bliadhna ann
bho’n thainig e a Mhuile. Mus
do shuidhicheadh Mgr. Mac¬
Ghille-dhuinn ann :an Tobar-
mhoire bha an t-Urr. Aonghas
[ MacLeoid, a Uig ann an Leod-
Clach-mhile
Rainig an t-Urr. Aonghas
MacCaoidh clach-mhile ’na
mhinistrealachd ann an Cille-
mhoire ’san Eilean Sgiathanach
—tha e a nis air a bhith fichead
bliadhna ann an Eilean a’ Cheo.
Fhuair e fhein agus a bhean
tiodhlacan-speis o’n choim-
thional. ’S ann do Leodhas a
bhuineas Mgr. MacCaoidh,
agus tha a bhean a Uibhist-a-
tuath.
Bhiodh am Fear — Deas-
achaidh an comain neach air
bith a chuireadh naidheach-
dan mu’n eaglais a steach.
Boireannaich ’sa Chubaad
Air an t-seachdain seo chaidh
dh’aontaich an t-Ard-sheanadh
gum biodh boireannaich air an
leigeil a steach do dhreuchd na
ministrealachd. An uair a thug
na Cleirean seachad am beachd
air a’ chilis seo bha a’ chuid bu
mhotha de’n fheadhainn ’san
taobh tuath ’nan aghaidh—ann
an tri dhiiibh, Uibhist, an
t-Eilean Sgiathanach agus Loch-
abar, cha robh fin’s aon ghuth
air a thogail air taobh nam
boireannach.
AN EAGLAIS SHAOR
Am Moderator
Chaidh an t-Urr. Iain R.
Aitken a shuidheachadh mar
mhoderator air an Ard-shean-
adh air an t-seachdain seo
chaidh. Tha Mgr. Aitken air a
bhith seachd bliadhna fichead
mar mhinistear ann an Raogh-
ard ann an Cataibh. ’S ann an
Cataibh cuideachd a tha Mode¬
rator na bliadhn’ an uiridh—
an t-Urr. Murchadh MacLeoid,
Leodhasach a tha air ceann
coimhthionail ann am Port-mo-
Cholmaig.
AN COMUNN GAIDHEALACH
NATIONAL MOD
DUNOON 1968
8th - Uth October
Final Entries
Intending competitors in all sec-
ans, Junior and Adult, are re¬
minded that entries must be de¬
spatched to arrive not later than
Friday, 24th May.
Nova Scotia Gold Medal
Those who qualify and wish to
compete this year in the Nova
Scotia Vocal Solo Competition must
submit their names and the appro¬
priate entry fee, 2/6 or I/-, im¬
mediately after their local or pro¬
vincial Mod is over.
Local and Provincial Mod
Prize-winners
Entries from first prize-winners
at local and provincial Mods held
after the closing date will be
accepted if forwarded within three
days of the Mod concerned taking
place.
Conditions for Entry
Unless otherwise stated, all en¬
trants in the Senior Section (Orals,
Vocal Solos, Duets, Instrumental
and Art and Industry) must be or
become Branch, Annual or Life
Members. Subscriptions of Branch
and Ordinary Members, already on
the roll must be paid for the cur¬
rent year, 1968-69, not later than
the closing date.
The age group of Junior entrants
will be determined in relation to
their age on 24th May 1968. Dates
of birh of all Junior entrants, in¬
dividuals and duettists, must be
submitted along with their entries.
Copies of the Syllabus, price 2/-,
the 1968 Supplement of prescribed
pieces, price 6d, Art and Industry
Syllabus, Entry Forms and pre¬
scribed songs are available from An
Comunn Gaidhealach, Abertarff
House, Inverness, and 65 West
Regent Street, Glasgow, C.2.
Oraid o’n Chat hair
Nuair a dh’fhosgladh an r-
Ard-sheanadh chualas oraid o’n
Mhoderator anns an do labhair
e mu’n fheum a bh’aig daoine
an diugh air a bhith a’ toirt
aite do iighdarras Facal Dhe
anns an dachaidh. Thubhairt e
gu robh na nithean a bha cearr
air an rioghachd a’ sruthadh o
adhbhar spioradail. Thubhairt
Mgr. Aitken gu robh diadh-
aireachdan lira a bha air an
craobh-sgaoileadh an diugh cho
diamhair ’s gu bheil iad do-
thuigsinn, agus gu bheil a’
chuid as motha dhiubh gu cur
an aghaidh Facal Dhe.
AN EAGLAIS SHAOR
CHLEIREACH
Litir gu Cuideachd Mhic
a’ Bhruthainn
Aig coinneamh ann an Steor-
nabhagh chuir Cleir an Eilein
Fhada rompa litir a chur gu
muinntir Mhic a’ Bhruthainn
a’ nochdadh gu bheil iad gu tur
an aghaidh luchd-siubhail a
bhith a’ dol air chuairt ann am
busaichean air an t-Sabaid. Tha
cuideachd Mhic a’ Bhruthainn
an diiil gum bi an luchd-
turuis a bhios air an Tairbeart
air Latha na Sabaid a’ dol a
dh’fhaicinn Tiir Chliamhain
ann an Roghadal. Thubhairt a’
Chleir gu bheil milleadh gu
leor ’ga dheanamh a cheana air
naomhachd na Sabaid.
Balnafettack
Fresh
Farm Produce
LOOK!!
On Saturday ONLY, from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
we will offer for sale the last of our
GOLDEN WONDER TATTIES
with the guarantee
15/- ^ cwt. with a Special Offer of
1 lb. Sausages FREE
We continue our Sale of FRESH
FARM MEAT in Large Cuts—place
orders for any week-day. Minimum
24 hours’ notice.
Example of Prices :—
Beef Shoulder 2/9 lb.
Beef Leg 3/11 lb.
Whole or Half Sheep 2/6 to 2/8 lb.
All guaranteed to be of the
highest quality
If possible, no Meat Order for
Saturday and Sunday, please
We are pleased to intimate that
supplies of DEEP FREEZES are
nearly back to normal from £45
with Free Half Sheep or equivalent.
Please note—If any purchase fails
to satisfy we will gladly replace or
refund.
ALISTAIR MACDONALD
Phone INVERNESS 30473
AN COMUNN GAIDH EALACH
National Mod —Dunoon 1968
CAR DRAW
CASH PRIZES — 18th MAY 1968
£20 No. 9 — Mr Lionel Bradley
Merridale
KIRN, DUNOON
£5 No. 112 — Mr Anton Nelson
156 Culduthel Road
INVERNESS