§ MR. J. C. BOLTON (Stirling)asked the Lord Advocate, with reference to the Memorial presented to the Secretary for Scotland, signed by 53 head masters of board schools of Stirlingshire, and schools included in the district of Her Majesty's Inspector for the county, in which it is alleged by the Memorialists that "the educational position of Stirlingshire has been seriously lowered since the appointment of the present Inspector," If it is intended to take measures to ascertain whether their complaints respecting the Inspector are well founded?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (MR. J. P. B. ROBERTSON) (Bute)My Lords cannot admit that, if it is true that "the educational position of Stirlingshire has been seriously lowered since the appointment of the present Inspector," this is due to that appointment. They are at all times ready to examine any evidence regard- 1507 ing the standard of any particular Inspector, and they are in frequent communication with the Chief Inspector of each division for this purpose. They are also ready to investigate any complaint with reference to a specific case if supported by the School Board, or other school managers. But it is contrary to their practice to deal with criticisms of a general character upon an Inspector made by the teachers of the schools he may be instructed to visit. They feel that they could not depart from this practice without serious injury to the Public Service.