§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate why the grant for roads was not given to County Caithness as to other counties?
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR,) Clackmannan, &c.The grant in aid of roads in the Highlands and Islands was not given in reduction of the road rate, but for the express purpose of constructing roads and footpaths within the specially congested districts. It was a condition of all these grants that the money was to be allocated to those districts which from poverty, remoteness, and other causes, most required roads; and the wants of the districts where the access of the children to school was difficult and even dangerous was specially to be kept in mind. I may add that urgent applications have, from time to time, 1371 been made to the Scottish Office from the Highlands and Islands for such a grant; but, until the recent grant was expended, no applications had been received from the County Council of Caithness. I regret that there is no more money available.