Widow MARION MATHIESON, Waterloo (60)—examined.
4668. The Chairman.
—What is your condition in life? Have you got a croft ?
—I have 8s. worth of land.
4669. And a cottage ?
—Yes, I have got a house erected recently; I was without a house till then.
4670. Will you have the goodness to state your complaint to us ?
—That my land was taken from me. That land is now very dear, but when I had it the rent was £3, 4s.
4671. Mr Fraser-Mackintosh.
—Where was this?
—In Lower Breakish.
4672. The Chairman.
—Why was it taken away from you?
—My two brothers' wives quarreHed. The land was taken from me to make matters smooth for them. They were on the one lot, and my brother wanted to get my lot to give it to his brother, to have the whole lot left to himself.
4673. What was your husband ?
—A crofter.
4674. Was the land taken away in your husband's lifetime ?
—No, while my husband was in life the holding was not taken from me.
4675. Then was your holding taken from you in order that it might bo given to one of your brothers ?
—Yes.
4676. Did you beg the factor that it might not be taken away ? Did you make any representation ?
—Yes.
4677. Were you in arrears ?
—The ground officer turned me back, and I had the £ 3 in my hand, and he told me that even should I pay it, the land was to be taken from me
4678. What were your brothers' names?
—Donald Anderson and Roderick Anderson.
4679. Have they still got possession of your former holding 1
—Yes. It is a day of liberty this.
4680. Mr Fraser-Mackintosh.
—How long is it since this happened
— Sixteen or seventeen years ago. Since then I have been working on day's work.
4681. The Chairman.
—Do your brothers do anything to support you and help you in life
—Not much.
[Rev. Mr M'Kinnon.
—It is right it should be known that one of her brothers, who lives in a different township, offered to build a house on his own croft and be kind to her, provided she removed to another township, and she declined, hoping she could get back to her old croft again.]
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