MR. JACKS&c.) (Leith,asked the Lord Advocate, If his attention has been called to the number of people, chiefly travelling tinkers, in Scotland who can neither read or write; if he is aware that nothing practical is being done by the Educational Department to remedy this evil by reaching the present young generation; and, if he can hold out any hopes of this difficult question being dealt with in the near future?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR.)&c.) (Clackmannan,, in reply, said, the subject of the education of travelling tinkers' children (many of whom it was alleged could neither read nor write) was brought under the notice of the Scottish Education Department 1570 and himself some time ago by his hon. Friend the Member for West Perthshire (Sir Donald Currie.) The subject had since been carefully considered by the Department, and he had caused certain inquiries to be made, with the view of ascertaining approximately the number of tinkers' children who could neither read nor write. The Department had been, and were then, in communication with the Local Government Board in regard to legislation for dealing with cases of a somewhat similar character in England; and they were also in communication with those who had taken a local interest in the matter, with the view of ascertaining whether the provisions of the law were adequate to meet the difficulty, and if not, in what respect these provisions required to be amended. The case of those children in Scotland would be considered in connection with that legislation.