§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that, although the Scottish Office issued a circular on the 30th January, 1894, relieving children of the burden of carrying peats to school for the purposes of fuel, that circular has recently been overruled by a circular issued by a school board in the island of Lewis, to the effect that if parents do not send peats to school by their children, they will be required to pay for their school books, &c.; and, seeing that the departmental circular of 1894 was issued in the interests of the children and not in the interests of the parents, will he take such action as may be necessary to prevent its provisions being abrogated by the action of the local school boards and managers.
§ MR. SINCLAIRThis is a matter for the discretion of the school board. The bringing of peats is a purely voluntary contribution, and the continuance of an old custom in the island with which the Department sees no reason to interfere.
§ MR. WEIRIn consequence of this very unsatisfactory reply I shall take the earliest opportunity of calling attention to this matter.