§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSH (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will explain on what grounds, on the retirement of Mr. Crole, late Solicitor, on 31st December, 1891, who had graduated in the office, the appointment of Solicitor, Inland Revenue, Edinburgh, has been conferred upon Mr. Hamilton Grierson, advocate, who was called to the Scottish Bar in 1880, appointed Sheriff Substitute of Banffshire in 1887, 331 and transferred in 1890 to Aberdeenshire; whether, in making this appointment, regard was had to the representation to the Treasury by the Board of Inland Revenue, dated 27th December, 1890, that the Solicitor "be a lawyer who is in practice, and has been so for the preceding ten years," and the reply of the Treasury on 13th February, 1891, that the appointment "be confined to lawyers in actual practice, and of ten years' standing;" and whether, in view of the fact that Sheriff Substitutes are either expressly prevented from practising, or in fact cannot practise their profession owing to their compulsory residence within their Sheriffdoms, he can explain how, considering the disappointment of the reasonable expectations of promotions on the part of the staff in the Solicitor's office, this appointment has been made?
§ * THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareThe appointment of Solicitor to the Department of Inland Revenue at Edinburgh was conferred upon Mr. Hamilton Grierson because very careful examination showed that he was, in the opinion of those most capable of judging, better qualified for the post than any other candidate. The greatest possible pains were taken to discover the best man for the post, and I have no reason to doubt that our efforts were successful. The hon. Member quotes certain extracts from Departmental correspondence. The letters from which he quotes have not, I believe, been published, and I am not aware in what manner the extracts have been communicated to the hon. Member, and by him to the public. The words which he quotes were not intended to exclude from this appointment lawyers engaged in legal employment of a judicial character. It is certainly not the case that any reasonable expectations of promotion to the post of Solicitor have been given to the staff of the Solicitor's office, either by the letters to which the hon. Member refers or in any other manner.
§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)May I ask if any Sheriff Substitute ever has been appointed to an office of the kind, and is it possible for the Sheriff Substitute 332 in Aberdeenshire to do duty for the Inland Revenue in Edinburgh?
§ * MR. GOSCHENI am not able to say if there is any precedent, but I may say that I and my colleagues have taken great pains, and every point has been carefully considered in making the appointment.