§ MR. BIGGARasked the Lord Advocate, If he will state the grounds on which the Abbey Parish Board of Paisley refused to grant the usual order to pay the school fees for the children of a widow named Smith, said widow being at the time in receipt of parochial relief; and if he will object to furnish the Correspondence between the Board of Superintendence and Mr. Archibald Macdonald; between the Board of Su- 1529 perintendence and the Abbey Board; Copy of the Notes of Mr. M. M'Lean, the inspector, and of the signed declarations made to him, together with Copy of the letter by which the Board of Superintendence conveyed their decision to the Abbey Parish?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)Sir, I made inquiries in regard to the refusal to pay the fees of these children, and, so far as I can judge, the decision of the parochial board was based on some questions that were raised in regard to the creed register. This point, as it seems to me, was raised somewhat unnecessarily. There was no need to decide the point at all, and, in so deciding it, it seems to me the Parochial Board overlooked the plain intention of the Legislature in passing the Education Act. Accordingly, I have communicated both with the Parochial Board of Paisley and with the Board of Supervision, requesting that the matter should be reconsidered. That being so, I think I need hardly produce the Papers.