§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he is now prepared to state the result of his inquiry into the condition of affairs in the Park District of the Island of Lewis, where, owing to the non-completion of footpaths, huge numbers of children are unable to attend school during severe weather; and whether he is aware that the children of Grimshader and Cromore have been withdrawn from school for want of footpaths?
§ * THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, BridgetonAs I have already stated in reply to the hon. Member, the large proportion of £2,000 out of the £3,000 grant to Ross and Cromarty was allocated to the Island of Lewis. The expenditure of this special grant was entrusted to the County Council, who elected to devote £1,033 to the construction of footpaths to schools, including those at Grimshader and Cromore, in the Parish of Lochs. The responsibility for the proper expenditure undoubtedly rests with the County Council. Upon inquiry, I regret to learn that the present attendance at some of the schools is not so good as it should be, but I fail to see any reasonable cause, as the approaches to such schools arc, with the assistance which has been rendered, in a better position than they were last year, and the winter season is over. In the new Local Government Amendment Bill I propose to give power to enable County Councils to construct cart roads, footpaths, and footbridges in accordance with the provisions of the Roads and Bridges Act, 1878.