DR. CAMERONasked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been called to the case of three fishermen named M'Gregor, Johnson, and Duff, who were tried at a J.P. Court at Lochgilphead on the 17th instant for a breach of the peace committed on July 15th, which the Court considered to be adequately punished by fines amounting in all to 7s. 6d.; and, whether bail amounting to £20, on which they had been liberated, was held by the authorities during four months; and, if so, whether, since this long postponement of their trial was calculated to prevent the men pursuing their occupation as fishermen by rendering long absences impossible, without risk of forfeiture of their bail, he will take steps to have petty cases more speedily disposed of in the Lochgilphead district?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)The persons named in the Question were apprehended on 13th July on a charge of attempting to rescue prisoners and assaulting the police. In the scuffle a stone, weighing upwards of 10 lbs., was thrown at the police. The accused were released on bail—in one case of £10, in the other of £5. Some delay was caused by the difficulty in obtaining evidence, and ultimately the accused were tried on the less serious charge of breach of the peace. The delay in bringing the accused to trial was too long, and I shall communicate with the authorities with a view to securing a more speedy disposal of such cases in future.