§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate if he can say why in the recent addition of polling places in Argyllshire the claims of the Dervaig District of Mull and Kilmory, in Ardnamurchau, were overlooked; if he is aware that in the place first-named nearly 100 electors have to go from 15 to 25 miles and back to record their votes, and in Ardnamnrchan the bulk of the electors have to travel from 15 to 20 miles to record their votes; and if he will cause inquiry to be made into the facts, and ascertain from the Sheriff of the county upon what grounds polling places have been refused in the places referred to?
§ * MR. J. B. BALFOURI am informed by the Sheriff that after receiving my lion. Friend's application, he made inquiry into the claims of Dervaig and Kilmory, when the recent addition of polling places in Argyllshire was under his consideration, but that he did not think these claims sufficient to justify him in granting a new polling station for either place ex proprio motu, and they were not included in the Statutory Petition presented to him. I would suggest to my hon. Friend that the Sheriff might be approached by a Statutory Petition, signed by the requisite number of electors of Dervaig and Kilmory. I have not yet got sufficient information to enable me to answer the second paragraph of the question; but if the facts be as stated, they would be fit matter for consideration by the Sheriff under a Petition.