§ Mr. ADAMSONasked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that over three years ago a memorial was presented to the Secretary for Scotland by the Fife and Kinross Miners' Association praying for a rearrangement of the sheriff court districts in Fifeshire, in view of the fact that the present districts were fixed many years ago, but are now, and for many years have been, owing to the development of mining in Fife, out of date, causing loss of time and expense to the public, and particularly to the mining community; that this application was concurred in by the Fife and Kinross Coalowners' Association and by other public representative bodies; that certain inquiries were held by Lord Shaw, then Lord Advocate; that there was a further inquiry by the sheriff of the county, Sheriff Morison; will he say whether reports have been received as a result of these inquiries; if so, what is the substance of the reports; and whether the Secretary for Scotland proposes to do anything with a view to meeting the necessities of the cases?
§ Mr. URESubstantially the facts are as stated in the question. At the instance of the Secretary for Scotland an inquiry was held by the sheriff of the county, who has recently submitted a scheme for the rearrangement of the sheriff court districts in the county. The scheme proposed involves certain adjustments, the expediency and practicability of which are now receiving consideration.