§ MR. SHIRESS WILL (Montrose, &c.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in August, 1892, a licensed publican in Arbroath was placed in the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum, Montrose, and has since then and down to the present time been there maintained as a pauper lunatic out of the poor rates "of the parish of St. Vigeans, Arbroath, at a cost to the ratepayers of 11s. a week; that some months ago the licence was transferred by the Licensing Authority to the wife of the person referred to, or to someone else on his behalf; and that the trade is still being carried on, and his name still appears on the licensed premises; and whether the payments so made out of the poor rates are a legal expenditure in the administration of the Poor Law in Scotland?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI believe the facts to be as stated in the question. 1539 I am informed that the man, when committed to the asylum, was insolvent, and that his wife, who now holds the licence and carries on the business, is barely able to maintain herself and children. The man is chargeable as a pauper solely because there is no other means available for his maintenance. I am advised by the Board of Supervision that there does not appear to be any illegal application of the parochial funds.