MR. MACDONALD CAMERON (, &c.) Wickasked the Lord Avocate, Whether he will inform the House what is the nature of the special merit which entitled Mr. T. A. Stewart, Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, to be promoted over the heads of nine of his colleagues; what are the defects in the official career of the nine superseded inspectors which led to their being passed over; upon what grounds was the senior of the nine—namely, Mr. William Jolly, superseded; and, what are the grounds upon which promotion by seniority to the higher grade of Inspectorships has been departed from for the first time in Scotland?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)I have already stated the grounds upon which Mr. Stewart was appointed one of the Chief Inspectors; and their Lordships must decline to discuss the individual merits of the officers who were not chosen to fill that office.