§ MR. GRIEVEasked the Secretary to the Treasury, If his attention has been drawn to the amount of the Fees charged by the Keeper of the Register of Sasines at Edinburgh, and to the fact that the gross amount levied is about double of what is required to maintain the office; and if the Treasury will take immediate steps to reduce the fees to such an amount as will defray the expenses, and no more; whether he will consider if the whole expenses should not be de- 288 frayed by the Treasury; and, whether he is aware that the printed Abstract of Sasines had only been sent to the sheriff clerk of Renfrewshire up to the end of 1864; and requesting his attention to Copies being regularly furnished up to the end of each current year; and that Index of Names at the Register Office should be copied and sent to the Counties, as well as Abstracts?
§ MR. BAXTERIn reply to my hon. Friend, I have to repeat what I stated the other night in Committee of Supply, when questioned on the subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Lanarkshire (Sir Edward Colebrooke), that directions had been sent to the Lord Clerk Register to prepare a scale of fees so reduced as merely to cover the expenses of the office. That has been done in accordance with the provisions of the Land Writs Registration Act; but there is no intention of making any further alteration which would involve a loss to the State. I am not aware of the circumstances referred to in the latter part of my hon. Friend's Question, but have written to Scotland for information.