Lord Duncan,understanding that the noble Lord the Member for Lincolnshire received, on the 14th of March, a positive assurance from the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, that a Bill would be shortly brought into the House on the subject of fees to Magistrates' Clerks, said he was anxious to know whether the said Bill was in such a state of preparation that it could be brought in by the right hon. Baronet for the convenience of Members before the Easter recess, or, if not, at what early period of the Session it was likely to be laid on the Table.
Mr. M. Suttonstated, that when the noble Lord the Member for Lincolnshire (Lord Worsley) had moved for a Committee upon the subject, he (Mr. M. Sutton) had replied, that it was under the consideration of his right hon. Friend at the head of the Home Department, that a Bill was then in preparation, and that he 1692 hoped it would soon be brought forward, but he had not pledged either himself or the Government as to the course to be pursued. With respect to the question asked by his noble Friend, it was not the intention of the Government to introduce any Bill of the sort before Easter. The subject was now under the serious consideration of the Government.