Isle Ornsay, Skye, 17 May 1883 - Donald Beaton

DONALD BEATON, Crofter, Ferrindonald (42)—exarnined.

5158. Mr Fraser-Mackintosh.
—You have heard what has been told by the previous witness ?
—Yes,

5159. It is true you paid £16 of arrears ?
—I have all but paid it.

5160. But that was the sum you had to pay ?
—Yes; before I got Carradale, that was the factor's rule.(see Appendix A. XXIV)

5161. Was the person who was in arrear any relation of yours ?
—No, she was no relation.

5162. The Chairman.
—Why did you pay such a large sum of money to get into this croft ?
—I was without land, and I was wishful to have a piece of it.

5163. Professor Mackinnon.
—How long were you in Carradale'!
—Seven years.

5164. What was the rent ?
—I was paying £2.

5165. So you paid £14 as rent, and £16 to get the privilege of paying it '.
—Yes.

5166. Was it with your own consent you came from Carradale to Ferrindonald ?
—No, but we had to go for the school. It was out of the way of the township, and we were a few families of us, and we had young children.

5167. You could have been removed quite as well a year after you went there as some years after ?
—Yes.

5168. And you knew that when you agreed to pay the £16?
—Yes, I knew I was liable to be removed, but I was believing that I would not be moved out of it so quickly as I was when I paid so much.

5169. Do you consider it a great hardship to be removed after paying the £16 of arrears and only £14 of rent?
—I was thinking that I should have got a good place after being removed. 5170. Did you get a good place ?
—No, I did not. It is not very good atall.

5171. Sir Kenneth Mackenzie.
—Now you have been removed, and have not paid up the whole of the £16, are you expected to pay up the balance?
—Yes, I am ; and I expect to pay it up. I don't know that I will be requested to pay it, but I intend to pay it.

5172. Mr Fraser-Mackintosh.
—How much is due ?
—I cannot very well say. I think there is about £5 still due, or over £4 at any rate.

5173. The Chairman.
—Do you think it is right that you should pay it ?
—As it was a rule on the estate, I undertook payment.

5174. Was it frequently a practice on the estate for the incoming tenant to pay the arrears of the outgoing tenant ?
—Yes.