§ MR. T. H. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether, in the Minute of 26th August 1886, dealing the distribution of grants in aid of roads in its application to burghs, the word "road" has an interpretation put upon it which operates to the prejudice of burghs; and whether counties can add roads and streets to the list of highways, and draw a share of grant in respect of the expenditure on these added roads, whilst burghs which have undertaken the management of their roads and streets cannot include in their claim for a share of the grant any expenditure on any road or street which was not a turnpike or statute labour road; if so, whether he can amend the Minute to remedy the hardship?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY, Buteshire)It is the fact, as stated in the Question, that in counties the distribution of the grant is made in respect of all roads maintained out of public rates, whereas in burghs it is only made in respect of roads which form part of a highway which was, subsequent 1178 to 1850, a turnpike road or a county road maintained by statute labour out of the rates levied under a Country Road Act. The regulations under which the grant in aid of roads is thus distributed were framed in 1884, after careful consideration, and are stereotyped in accordance with Section 22 Sub-section (2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, and cannot be amended without legislation.