§ MR. D. CRAWFORDI beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. J. H. Smyth, of Partick, who, on the 6th instant, tendered payment of his poor rates at the office of the Parochial Board for the Govan Combination, but the collector refused to accept payment unless Mr. Smyth paid his school rates at the same time; whether such refusal was according to law, and whether, considering that payment of poor rates, but not payment of school rates, was a condition of the exercise of the Parliamentary Franchise, he will take any steps to prevent electors from being improperly disfranchised by the action of collectors?
§ * MR. J. P. B. ROBERTSONI am informed that there was recently a case of the nature referred to by the hon. and learned Member, although there appears to be some doubt as to the name. The phraseology of Section 44 of the Education Act makes it somewhat doubtful whether it is not necessary to collect the two rates together. Personally, I think that, as the right to the Franchise depends on the payment of the one rate and 1137 not of the other, a ratepayer may demand a separate receipt; but, in the absence of any legal decision on the point, I do not desire to speak too positively.