§ Mr. LAIDLAW (for Sir John Jardine)asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware of the statements made before the Select Committee on Feus and Leases in 1893 by the town clerk of Kilmarnock as to the enormous increase of the amount levied as casualties in that superiority since the Conveyancing Act of 1874 came into operation, prior to which an heir could be tendered as a vassal and could get off by payment of a relief, being the amount of a year's feu duty only; and whether he will take into consideration the expediency of amending that Act?
§ Mr. UREI am aware of the statements referred to by my hon. Friend. No complaints have reached me regarding the operation as mentioned in my hon. Friend's question of the Conveyancing Act of 1874, although the judgment of the House of Lords, which fixed the interpretation of the clause that produced the result referred to in the question, was pronounced so far back as February, 1880. In these circumstances I do not propose to consider the expediency of amending the Act.