§ MR. CRAUFURDsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department a question as to the recent appointment of Revising Barristers by the Lord Chief Baron on the 1536 Home Circuit. The senior Judge on the Summer Circuit had each year the right of appointing members of his own circuit to be Revising Barristers for the year, and therefore, theoretically, the appointment was annual, but the practice had invariably been, that except for special reasons, no change should be made in the appointments. On the last occasion, however, that practice had been departed from in one, if not in two cases. In one case the gentleman who had held the appointment before very much needed the assistance it afforded him, as he had a wife and family; but he had been displaced in favour of a young man, who was, perhaps, perfectly qualified for the office, but who had only just been elected a member of the Home Circuit. He wished to know, Whether the Home Secretary had any information on the matter; and, if not, whether the right hon. Gentleman would inquire into the reasons for pursuing such an unusual course?
§ MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, he had no more information than what he had stated to the House yesterday; but he should not consider it his duty to ask the Judge intrusted with the power of selecting the Revising Barristers why he had selected one in preference to another. At the same time, the young gentleman who had been referred to as having obtained one of the appointments was a barrister of more than three years' standing, as he was bound to be under the Act of Parliament.
§ MR. CRAUFURDI said he had only just joined the circuit.
§ House adjourned at Four o'clock.