DR. CAMERONasked the Lord Advocate, Whether Mr. Duncan Blair, in 666 November last, lodged with the Procurator-Fiscal of Lochgoilhead a complaint of gross ill-treatment of his children by the master of the public school of the district; and, whether the Fiscal has taken any proceedings in the case, or has forwarded his precognitions to the Crown Office; and, if not, whether he would call for the precognitions in question?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)In November last Mr. Duncan Blair made a complaint to the Procurator Fiscal that his son had been severely caned on one occasion by the schoolmaster. A full precognition was taken in the case, which was reported to the Crown Office, and considered by Crown Counsel. No complaint was made to the Fiscal as to the administration of castor oil to the children as a punishment; but statements were made in the course of the investigation that such a practice prevailed—a practice, I may say, which appears to me to he deserving of severe condemnation. The decision of the Crown Counsel was that, while the chastisement of the boy may possibly have been excessive, there were not adequate grounds for criminal proceedings against the schoolmaster.