§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSHasked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been directed to numerous complaints of the manner in which certain enumerators in Scotland have dealt with the Census Returns in regard to Gaelic speaking Scotsmen; and, whether he will allow these Returns to be amended in all cases where it can be shown that enumerators acted in contravention of the Registrar General's instructions, as finally explained in his secretary's letter of date 21st March last?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. M'LAREN)said, that the Census of Gaelic-speaking persons was intentionally confined to those who spoke the language habitually; and he failed to see what legitimate purpose a statistical inquiry of this kind could serve, by including in the Census persons who merely possessed a literary acquaintance with the language. He could not undertake to correct any of those errors which were incident to such a Return, and which could only pretend to be approximately accurate.