§ MR. J. W. BARCLAY (Forfarshire)asked the Lord Advocate, The cause of the delay in issuing the Blue Book of Local Taxation in Scotland for 1884?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)&c.) (Clackmannan,I am informed by the Home Office, by which Department the Returns for 1883–4 will be presented, that, in consequence of the difficulty of obtaining the necessary information from the respective county road clerks to enable a rectification to be made of the several statements given in the Returns relative to the valuation and allocation of the various debts made under the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Act, 1871, the preparation of the abstract was necessarily delayed; but all the required information has now been received, and the statements amended in accordance therewith. The abstract will be completed and placed in the printer's hands in a few days.