§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSHasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether his attention has been directed to the following paragraph in Paper (C. 4,261, of 1884, page 4), written by Mr. Craik of the Scottish Education Department:—
I may perhaps be permitted to refer to the regret expressed to me by several of those who take an interest in Education in the Highlands, that statements with regard to the Education Acts were admitted in evidence by the Commissioners without being subjected to the test of cross-examination, which would have been most useful in exposing their fallacies, and perhaps in explaining more fully to the people the advantages of making use of the opportunities which the Acts throw open;whether he is aware that the sittings of the Crofters' Commission, referred to in the above paragraph, were advertised, and all the evidence taken in public; whether the inquiries made by Mr. Craik were conducted in private; whether he will order the notes (if any) taken by Mr. Craik at the time of his inquiries, to be published and laid upon the Table, giving dates, localities, and persons; and, whether, if this cannot be done, he will order the paragraph reflecting upon a public Commission, to be withdrawn and cancelled?
§ MR. MUNDELLAMr. Craik assures me that he had no intention of reflecting upon the Commission. He was instructed to inquire and report to the Department as to the best means of meeting the educational requirements of the crofters, and he naturally made himself acquainted with the views of those in the localities who are most interested, and have had most to do with educational work. I have myself heard similar expressions of regret that more evidence of the kind referred to was not taken by the Commission. I understand that some Members of the Commission have expressed their satisfaction with the Report. There are no notes of Mr. Craik's that can be laid on the Table of this House.