§ 38. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the recent voting under the Scottish Temperance Act the town and county clerks, instead of issuing the requisition forms to bonâ fide electors demanding the same in terms of the Act, issued such forms to sundry associations believed to be financed partly by American extremists and partly by one or two war millionaires who deem it right and a set-off to their continued retention of their war-created wealth to endeavour to 215 limit the liberties and pleasures of their poorer fellow citizens; whether the officials and canvassers of these associations then engaged themselves in securing signatures to such requisitions and to that end indulged in misrepresentations of the issues to the voters whose signatures they sought; whether cases of forgery and unauthorised attachment of other people's signatures have occurred; and whether, in view of these irregularities, tending to defeat the true purposes of the Act, he will instruct local authorities to issue requisition forms only to bonâ fide electors and to refuse to issue forms to associations and others who merely borrow their names as a disguise to enable them to enforce their own extreme views?
§ Mr. MUNROThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I have no information which supports the vague and, at the same time, serious allegation contained in the second part of the question. As regards the third part, I understand that a conviction has been obtained in one such case. Whether there have been others, I am unaware. As regards the last part of the question, I have no reason to suppose that local authorities are in need of any instructions from me of the nature suggested.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIf I supply the right hon. Gentleman with the names of municipal authorities who have issued requisition forms to those associations, will that satisfy him that the first part of the question is correct?
§ Mr. MUNROI shall be very happy if my hon. Friend will make the question less offensive and more precise.
§ Viscountess ASTORMay I ask if it is not the fact that the trade also had some of the best and principal speakers for the trade in Scotland imported from America?
§ Viscountess ASTORIt is so.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask if the head of the "dry" movement in Scotland was not a very distinguished officer of the British Army?
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs it possible to have Members of Parliament imported from America?