MR. PHILIPPS (Lanark, Mid)asked the Lord Advocate, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that no Councillor of the burgh of Hamilton is allowed to take his seat till he has paid two guineas for a burgess ticket, which practice tends to prevent working men from coming forward as candidates for the Town Council; whether the charge is a legal one; and, whether he will endeavour to get it reduced or abolished?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON) (Bute)By the 20th section of 3 & 4 Will. IV., c. 77, no person is entitled to be received and inducted as Councillor who shall not previous to his induction be entered a burgess of the burgh; but a person elected Councillor is entitled to be entered burgess on payment of the ordinances to the common good of the burgh. Those fees in the case of Hamilton amount to two guineas. I am informed that a gentleman recently elected a Councillor at Hamilton has refused to admit the legality of a demand for payment by him of this sum, and has paid under protest. I presume that his contention is based on the provisions of the Act 39 Vict. c. 12. As a dispute has thus arisen falling to be determined by a Court of Law, it would be improper that I should prejudge it; and, for the same reason, it is premature to consider whether legislation is necessary.