§ MR. HARDCASTLEasked the Lord Advocate, If his attention has been called to the sanitary condition of a huge barrack recently erected at Tynecastle, just within the borders of Midlothian, for the reception of nearly two hundred families, the building of which had been carried on by night and day throughout the late severe and protracted frost, with a view to its occupation before the 31st January, in order, it is alleged, to qualify the tenants for the electoral roll of the current year in the interest of the right honourable gentleman the Member for Greenwich, who is a candidate for the representation of that county; whether he is aware that part of the building has already been condemned by the local authorities as unsafe; whether, nothwithstanding, families have been allowed to enter into occupation in its present damp and incomplete condition, and with no provision for sanitary or hygienic arrangements; and, whether, under these circumstances, he will order an inspection of the building to avert, if possible, the epidemic which the sudden aggregation of so large a number of persons under such conditions will, in all probability, generate?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)Sir, I have caused inquiries to be made into the various matters with which the Question of the hon. Member deals, 793 and as the information which has reached me is not precisely the same as that which seems to have reached the hon. Member, I would ask the leave of the House to state the facts as they have very recently been communicated to myself. These facts are that during the present winter several blocks of dwelling-houses have either been erected or are in the course of erection—for I believe that is a matter on which there may be considerable difference of opinion—in the county of Midlothian, just outside the Parliamentary boundary of the City of Edinburgh. These buildings are all of such a class that every dwelling-house contained within them will be sufficient to yield a county qualification to the proprietor, but not to the tenant. None of the houses are occupied as yet; and, as far as I have been enabled to ascertain, it is not intended that any of them shall be occupied prior to the term of Whitsunday, the 15th of May next. All the blocks except one, which is in a much less advanced stage than the rest, will probably be occupied on and after the term of Whitsunday, and the proprietors will probably claim the privilege of being entered as voters on the electoral roll made up for Midlothian during the present year. The one block I have referred to is in such a state that it is not probable any claim for the franchise will be made in respect of it before the year 1881. A portion of the front walls of that particular block was, in consequence of a defect, owing either to faulty design or workmanship, recently taken down by the builder, and is now in the course of re-erection. No part of any of the blocks has been condemned by the local authorities as unsafe, and the authorities charged with the protection of the public report to mo that although the buildings are not first-class specimens of architectural work, at the same time there is node-feet in the design or character of the buildings which would warrant the conclusion that any danger is threatened to the public. I have found it impossible to ascertain whether, at the time these buildings begin to be occupied, the sanitary arrangements connected with them will be sufficient or not. I am very happy to say that among the multifarious duties required by the Lord Advocate, he is not expected to act as inspector of dwellings—but the duty of sanitary inspector and the removal of 794 nuisances of every class has been committed by the Legislature in that particular district to the local authority of the parish of St. Cuthbert's, subject to the control of the central board of supervision. I have no reason to suppose that either of these authorities will fail in the discharge of its statutory duty should there be any occasion for their interference, and it is only in the event of such failure on their part that interference on my part would be in the least degree justified. I have only to add that, under these circumstances, I have not thought fit to order such an inspection as the hon. Member has suggested.
§ MR. HARDCASTLEDo I correctly understand the right hon. and learned Gentleman that the person entitled to vote will be the owner and not the occupier?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)I think I stated that the blocks, which are at present divided into houses, are so divided that the qualification of a single house will be to the proprietor and not to the tenant of that single dwelling.