§ MR. LENGI beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether it is any part of the duty of the Inspectors of the Board of Supervision in Scotland to superintend the system of boarding out pauper children by Parochial Boards, and to report on the fitness of the Guardians selected, and the sufficiency and sanitary condition of the houses in which the children are boarded; and whether, if this has not been attended to hitherto, he will bring the subject under the notice of the Board with the view of securing that the condition of pauper children so boarded out shall be regularly reported upon?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON,) ButeIt cannot be said that it is part of the duty of the Board 754 of Supervision's officers to superintend the boarding out of pauper children, though, as a matter of fact, they do make inquiry for the purpose of satisfying themselves that such children are being properly taken care of, when there is a suitable opportunity for doing so. There are, however, serious objections to a system by which the Board's Inspectors should be required to exercise a constant supervision over boarded-out children. I may add that the larger Parochial Boards have special officers to visit boarded-out children and make periodical reports.