§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee of 1879, he will now abolish the Office of Legal Adviser to the Commissioners of Metropolitan Police just rendered vacant by the death of Mr. James Davis, and thus save the salary, £1,000, of the Office?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The question of retaining the Office of Legal Adviser to the Commissioner of Police is now under my consideration. The Committee of 1879 recognized the necessity of some legal adviser; but thought that if one Assistant Commissioner were a person of legal knowledge and magisterial experience he could give the necessary advice. I have not yet satisfied myself that the other functions of the Assistant Commissioners, which yearly increase, will leave either of them leisure to discharge the duties of legal adviser.