§ MR. J. W. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the Kirk Session of Laurencekirk, on the 7th January 1873, acknowledged holding £734 8s. 6d. for behoof of the poor of the parish, irrespective of sums held for education, also of £300 left to the minister of the parish for the poor of the parish, and have handed none of the revenue to the Parish Council, and only a small part to the parish trust; whether the Kirk Session can evade accounting for and paying the revenue to the legal poor, by stating that their predecessors in office dissipated the fund in the belief that they might lawfully spend the principal; and, whether he will instruct a transfer or cause an inquiry to be made?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY,) ButeshireI am aware that the Kirk Session of Laurencekirk hold certain sums for behoof of the poor, but I am not aware of their amount, nor can I state whether or not they are held for the legal poor, as this is a question which can only be decided by a legal tribunal. In terms of Section 30 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894 a committee of management for parish trusts has been formed, consisting of equal numbers from the Kirk Session and the Parish Council; this committee would be entitled to make all necessary inquiry.