§ MR. DONALD NICOL (Argyll)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate if he is aware that the School Board of Lismore and Appin dismissed the teacher of Ballachulish School for an unsatisfactory report by Her Majesty's Inspector before charges against the examiner had been disposed of; what steps is the Department taking with regard to the complaint lodged against Mr. David Johnson, Assistant Inspector of Schools, by the people of Ballachulish; is he aware that the parents have withdrawn their children from the public school, and sent them also in a body to the Episcopal school owing to the action of the School Board towards their teacher; and, are the ratepayers to be burdened for the loss of the grant to the public school?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATEI understand that the School Board of Lismore and Appin have given notice of dismissal to the teacher of the Ballachulish School; but no official notice of this has been sent to the Department, and I am unable to say whether the Board's determination was based upon the report of Her Majesty's Inspector. For that report the Inspector alone is responsible; and a complaint made by a certain number of Memorialists against the Inspector's assistant is based upon a misapprehension of his position and duties. I have no information with regard to the withdrawal of pupils from the school; and so far there has been no loss of grant to the school.