§ COLONEL ALEXANDERasked the Lord Advocate, Whether he proposes, this Session, to bring in a Bill permitting 1576 parochial authorities in Scotland to grant superannuation allowances to officers connected with the administration of the Poor Law, in cases where those authorities consider that it will be for the public advantage that such officers, when disabled by old age or ill-health for the efficient performance of their duties, should receive such allowances?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE, in reply, said, that some weeks ago he was waited upon by a number of Scotch Members, who expressed to him their desire that a Bill should be introduced with regard to giving parochial authorities in Scotland a discretionary power, subject to the sanction of the Board of Supervision, to grant retiring allowances to the various officers engaged in the administration of the Poor Law. As his own opinion was favourable to the proposal he had a Bill drafted for the purpose of giving effect to it, which he was on the point of introducing when he was waited on by several other Scotch Members, who stated that they were strongly opposed to giving such power to the parochial authorities. Peeling that in the present state of Public Business it would be impossible to pass such a measure without the general concurrence of Scotch Members, he determined to postpone legislation for the present. At his request, however, the Home Secretary applied to the Poor Law Board for their opinion as to the working of the Superannuation Act in England and Ireland, and replies had been received which, along with the communications of the Board of Supervision, it was proposed to lay upon the Table, so that public opinion on the subject might be matured before next Session.