SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL&c.) (Kirkcaldy,said, that, seeing the Lord Advocate in his place, be wished to point out that hon. Members had been given to understand that this was to be a Scotch day. They were often told that the convenience of Scotch Members was consulted, and that they had accepted this or accepted that. If Scotch Members was consulted, he, at any rate, was not one of those whose opinion the Government were in the habit of seeking, and he had questioned several of his Friends on the subject, and they had assured him that they were in the same category. He should like to ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman what process was gone through of arriving at the feeling of the Scotch Members with regard to fixing days for Scotch Business?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities), in reply, said, that if the Scotch Members had not to-day for Scotch Business they would have Wednesday. He would remind the hon. Member that a meeting was held a short time ago at which the hon. Member was present, and that the general feeling of Scotch Members was that a day should be given for Scotch Business. The Government had desired to give to-day; but owing to events which had happened early this week, as the hon. Gentleman was aware, it had been impossible to adhere to the original intention. Therefore, Wednesday was to be given to the Scotch Members. As the hon. Member seemed to have a special grievance, he would point out to him that it was not always very easy to get at Scotch Members in order to direct their attention on these subjects.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLsaid, the right hon. and learned Gentleman had not answered the general question, which was by what process the opinion of the Scotch Members was to be had?
§ MR. J. H. A. MACDONALDreplied that he did not consider he had arrived at the opinion of the Scotch Members 1559 until he had called them together, and then he was guided by the general feeling of those Members, and not by the opinion of individuals.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked, whether it must be taken that the paragraph in the newspapers which stated that the Scotch Members had been consulted and had elected to take Wednesday was without foundation?
§ MR. J. H. A. MACDONALDhoped that hon. Members would not be guided, as to what had been stated by himself or any of his Colleagues, by what appeared in the newspapers.
§ MR. ANDERSON (Elgin and Nairn)asked, whether the Government intended to take the Burgh Police and Health (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday?
§ MR. J. H. A. MACDONALDreplied in the affirmative.