§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he will state the reason why Sheriff Johnstone, who acted as Returning Officer for Ross and Cromarty at the last Parliamentary election, engaged E. Hugonin, of Inverness, to act as polling clerk at Milton of Applecross, at an expense to the candidates of £9 Is., travelling allowance (140 miles) £7, whilst a suitable person was obtainable in the district; and whether Sheriff Johnstone, should he act as Returning Officer at the next election, will be prohibited from making arrangements which cause such expenditure to candidates?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI am informed that the polling clerk referred to was employed because, in the Sherift's opinion, a local man was not sufficiently qualified, and that although he lives in Inverness, he paid his own expenses from Inverness to Dingwall. There is no power to interfere with the discretion of a Returning Officer in making arrangements for an election.