§ MR. HOZIER (Lanarkshire, S.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act Amendment Act of this year will apply to, or interfere with, the proceedings now going on, under the Act of 1892, to form Blantyre into a burgh; and, if so, and if the promoters require to come under the operations of the amending Act, whether any provision is made for paying the expenses incurred by them while bonâ fide acting in compliance with the Act of 1892?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR, Clackmannan, &c.)I have no knowledge of the facts of the case, but I gather from the question that Blantyre is a populous place which desires to become a burgh. If this be so, it would be necessary, in the first place, that the boundaries of the populous place should be defined by the Sheriff in terms of the Act of 1892, and, that being done, the provisions of the Bill of the present Session will then apply, and it will be for the ratepayers to say whether they approve of the proposal to make it a burgh or not. I do not, therefore, see that the Bill of this year, when it becomes law, will interfere with the proceedings which, I infer, are now going on before the Sheriff. Pro- 138 vision is made by the Act of 1892 for the expense of fixing boundaries in such cases. If the inference as to the facts which I have drawn from the question is not correct, I shall be glad to communicate further with my hon. Friend on hearing from him.