§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate (1) with regard to the case of Arthur Sturrock, solicitor and bank agent in Kilmarnock, who absconded in the month of August or September last, after having embezzled upwards of £40,000, whether the fact of the embezzlement was known about a month before he absconded; (2) will he explain why proceedings for his apprehension were not taken at once; (3) whether it is the case that the Crown authorities refused to institute proceedings without a guarantee for their expenses; and (4) what steps the authorities propose to take in the case.
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire)I ought to say that I have already been in communication on this subject with my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock Burghs (Colonel Denny). The answer to the first and second parts of the question is that it is not the fact that the embezzlement was known a month, or any time, before Sturrock absconded. He remained in good credit until he absconded on the 23rd October. The answer to the third part is in the negative. To the last part of the question, the answer is that photograph's and descriptions of Sturrock have been extensively circulated, but that hitherto no reliable information has been obtained.