§ *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. GRAHAM MURRAY,) Buteshiremoved the Second Reading of the Chairmen of Parish 241 Councils (Scotland) Bill. He said: The Scottish Members who are sent present will know that, according to the memorandum prefixed to the Bill, it is intended to confer on chairmen of Parish Councils in Scotland a privilege which is now enjoyed by chairmen of Parish Councils in England. Members are aware that the chairman of a Parish Council is, ex-officio, a Justice of the Peace; and hitherto, upon each re-election, he has had to repeat the oath which had been taken, and on taking each oath he has to pay the fees on each occasion. This was felt to be an abuse in England, and accordingly a Statute was passed by which he was excused from taking the oath again, and from paying the fee. This Measure, accordingly, is to assimilate the law of Scotland to the law of England in that particular, and I hope the House will give it a Second Reading.
§ MR. J. CALDWELL (Lanark, Mid)There is no objection to the Bill, but it illustrates that Scotland was a separate nationality. I am not sure whether the Lord Advocate might not wish to go a little further than the Bill, and provide that, if the chairman should be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant or a Justice of the Peace, he should not pay afterwards—that he should not, whether upon determination of his office, or if appointed a Justice of the Peace, pay fees twice. I throw out that suggestion in order that we might go one better than England.
§ Read a second time.