MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to a Petition signed by 15 heads of families at Calbost, Park, Lochs, Lewis, in which it is stated that the Planasker (or Marvig) School, which was built for this district, is about two miles from the township they represent, in which there are fully 40 children of school age; that, since the erection of said school house, children have had to walk that distance through rough ground in all weathers; that last year an attempt was made by the County Council to construct a footpath from the township to the school, but from want of funds it was not completed; and that during the past inclement winter the parents unanimously agreed to keep their children from school, and no child has attended school from the township since the beginning of February; and whether, if these statements are confirmed upon inquiry, steps will be taken to remedy the existing state of matters? The hon. Member complained that after the words "rough ground" the words "and swampy bogs," inserted in the question as handed in at the Table, had been omitted.
THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, BridgetonMy attention has not been called to the Petition referred to, but I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 22nd 1567 of March, in reply to a similar question. While it is the practice of the Scotch Education Department to call the attention of School Boards to the necessity of securing regular attendance, yet it rests with the School Boards, and not with the Department, to enforce the compulsory clauses.