§ MR. SEYMOUR KEAY (Elgin and Nairn)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that at the provisional Parish Council of Edinkillie, Elginshire, held on 11th instant, the Inspector of Poor having read over the names of the parties elected, all of whom were present, requested them to declare in writing their acceptance of the office, and that on one of the councillors refusing to make such a declaration in writing, the Inspector of Poor dissolved the meeting; and whether this action of the Inspector of Poor was taken under instructions from the Local Government Board; if so, will he state what statutory authority exists for demanding that parish councillors shall make such written declarations, and for dissolving the meeting if any parish councillor refuses to do so?
§ SIR GEORGE TREVELYANI am informed by the Local Government Board that the Rev. Mr. Anderson, one of the candidates elected, declined to comply with the instructions issued by the Local Government Board that lie should sign an acceptance of office, and 41 that the meeting broke up in consequence without doing business. It is not the fact that it was dissolved by the Inspector of Poor. There is no direct requirement in the Act of 1894 that acceptance of office should be declared in writing, but the enactments regulating the Election of County Councillors, which contain such a provision, are applied to the election of Parish Councillors, and in any case it appears to be very convenient and desirable that there should be such an acceptance. I am glad to be able to add that Mr. Anderson now expresses his willingness to sign.