12936.
The Chairman.
—Have you a written statement to lay before the Commission ?
—Yes.
(a)
The principal complaint of the township we represent is that the land has been divided and redivided from time to time as the factors thought proper, so that now the profits accruing from our present lots are quite inadequate to keep an ordinary family in any degree of comfort or independence,
(b)
While the boundary line between us and the neighbouring tacksman was re-adjusted, the said line was made to fall wholly on our side of the old one, thus making the straight line take off all the clippings from our side,
(c)
In common with the other townships of this district, we had the benefit of our share of the grazing of Loch Eport side, where the people used to work at kelp during the summer season. This was all taken from us without any reduction whatever
(d) We have been paying drainage money for at least thirty-two years.
This money was borrowed of Government. At the rate at which we paid, both capital and interest would have been paid up in twenty years. Instead of this being taken off, it is now added to the rental, and we have to pay
rates accordingly.
(e)
The amount of implements required by each crofter on his present lot would be quite sufficient to work three
Times the quantity of land they have without any additional expenditure worth speaking about
(f)
On account of the scarcity of pasture for the number of stock we are allowed to keep, we have to hand-feed them in many cases from September till the end of May. Our twelve months' labour is in this way eaten up by our stock, so that the potato crop is the principal profit by the lands except what we realise on the market
day.
(g)
Were it not for the kindness of the factor this year in ordering food for ourselves and families on credit, it is
hard to say what would have become of us.
(h)
We desire to draw the attention of the Commissioners to an expenditure we were put to in putting up a wire fence between this township and the neighbouring tacksman, which is now perfectly useless.
(i)
Over and above paupers, this township is taxed in having about eighteen families of cottars spread over the
township. Even the removal of these cottars to a better place would be a great benefit to the crofters.
(j)
From the general tenor of the above, we hope that the Commissioners can easily see our grievances, and can easily understand the best mode of redress. The above is a statement of the principal points the crofters
of Knock-an-Torran wish to lay before the Royal Commission, and the delegates present are ready to explain what may be obscure, and to answer further questions.—JOHN LAING, MALCOLM M'DONALD , JOHN M'LEOD
12937.
How many crofters are there in the township of Knock-an- Torran ?
—Our place was at first occupied by twenty families, and then when it was lotted out it was made into twenty-two crofts.
12938.
How many crofters are there now?
—There are only twenty-two full crofts, but eight of them have been subdivided, some of them among three families, so that there are up to forty families now.
12939.
How many cottars?
—There are fifteen or sixteen, and paupers in addition to them.
12940.
The crofters have multiplied from twenty-two to forty. Has that been by the natural increase of their own
number, or have others been brought in and settled upon them?
—An increase came from the outside when the country was scourged by factor Cameron.
12941.
There has been no increase from your own families?
—Yes; there are some of them subdivided by the increase in our own families.
12942.
You state that a wire fence had been put up between your hill pasture and the adjacent tack ?
—Yes, it is so far right that it was upon the west side—not the hill pasture but the macher pasture. It was made as a march between us and the neighbouring tack.
12943.
Was it useful to you when first put up?
—A fence that is put up at great expense, and that will not last many years, cannot be of much use.
12944.
Who paid for it?
—The adjoining crofters, comprising four town-ships on the one side and the farm of Balranald on the
other.
12945.
Did the proprietor not pay some portion of it?
—I am not aware. I and my neighbours feel it heavy enough.
12946.
Was it made of wooden posts and iron wire?
—There is no wood; the pillars are iron as well.
12947.
Has it never been repaired? When it went wrong, did you not get it repaired ?
—It was often repaired. It would require to be repaired continually before it could be kept up. My son and
myself were obliged to leave putting sea-ware above the tide mark, and to go and get stones to make a base for this fence. It was made out of an old dyke, and was not of very much service. I was born on the march between the township and Balranald. My father occupied a croft that abutted up on the tack. They removed the fence over upon our croft, and took away about half of my father's croft, and a piece of some five or six crofts as well. My father and these others were recompensed again at the expense of the township lands, but the township got no abatement of rent.
12948.
These are very old wrongs. I want to know what demand you make at present to better your condition?
—I have been listening to other delegates since the forenoon, and I quite approve of their statements —
additional land, if we could get it at a reasonable rent.
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