§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been drawn to a case tried before the Justice of the Peace Court at Tain, on the 3rd instant, Captain Monro of Allen (a J.P. recently 1524 appointed on the recommendation of the Lord Lieutenant for Ross and Cromarty, and Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland), and Baillie Munro (a J.P. for the Burgh of Tain), being on the Bench, in which a crofter was convicted of having in his possession on the 8th of January last a dog for which he had no licence, and, for this offence, was sentenced to pay a fine of 25s., or, in default of payment, to go to prison for one month; and whether, in view of the fact that the sentence was passed after only eight days of the licensing year (beginning the 1st. of January) had elapsed, he can take steps towards a remission of the sentence in this case?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR, Clackmannan, &c.)The Commissioners of Inland Revenue have, at my request, considered the case referred to by my hon. Friend. They cannot remit the whole fine, but, in the special circumstances, they find themselves able to mitigate it to 7s. 6d.