ISLANDS GIVEN AWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1925, Page 4

ISLANDS GIVEN AWAY

HOME OF BARRIE'S “MAlllt ROSE.” A special correspondent in the Loudon “Daily Mail” says:— I have read with some sadness the announcement that the great islands of Lewis and Harris, in the Outer IIe!>ricles, over which the late Lord J.evcrInilnie nearly broke his strong and kindly heart, are 'to he sold by auction. If Lord Lcvcrhulme could not bring them new prosperity no one can, and I fear the "Western Isles may be doomed to share the slow process of depopulation and decay visible- throughout a great part of the Scottish Highlands. Many have tried to save the Hebrides and none has really succeeded. Lord Leverhulme is supposed to have spent over a million pounds upon schemes for developing Lewis and the adjacent islands, and yet since his death one estate of 56.090 acres has been sold for 9500. The causes of Lord Leverhuline’s failures are still rather obscure, but I think they may partly he found in his own unswerving determination to do everything in tile way lie thought host and in ilie spirit ol the people who, while liking him personally, did not linicli like being managed and controlled. Perhaps his aims were too expensive, lie wanted to make Lewis a great centre. of the fishing industry, and saw

that capital and organisation were required. “Acre for acre.” he told his people, “the sea around you contains twenty times more food than your land can produce.” He planned to create a new town of .Stornoway and to cover the islands with roads which were badly needed; but some of the crofters forcibly seized farms where lie meant to produce milk and the Scottish Office started a policy which rail athwart his development schemes. Finally, in .September 1923, Lord Leverhulme summoned a meeting in Stori.ownv and with, a fine gesture said to the people: “I give you the whole of the island of Lewis.” But the burdens on Lewis are too great, and the people refused the gilt, though Stornoway accepted the stately castle and its grounds. Then Lord Leverhulme turned to the adjacent island ol Harris and created a new fishing port at the village ol Obbe, which was renamed Leverliurgh. It chanced that last year, while travelling through Harris, t was his guest on what I believe was the very last evening he ever spent in the Hebrides. Next day he showed me over his new pori and talked with confident enthusiasm of fishing and herrings; hut now the port is for sale with the rest. No wilder or more romantic lots wore ever submitted to auction. "1 here are, beyond the lonely whaling station, the eerie castle where Barrie stayed and the home of “Mary Rose.” There arc deer forests which have rarely been shot over in recent years, and many lochs, including one several miles long which few people ever look upon. 41r I.lovtl George wants to solve the land problem on drastic lines. Here is a case whore the land was given to the people, and they declined it because the burdens imposed by the State in. the more populous areas were t o o heavy. Is there no salvation for the 'Western isles?