MR, ALGERNON EGERTONsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he intends to introduce, during this Session, any Bill in relation to the Allowances to Witnesses at Sessions and Assizes?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that in the year 1858 a scale of allowances to witnesses in criminal trials at assizes and sessions was promulgated, which had been prepared, after full consideration, by the officers of the Treasury and Home Department. Great objection was made to that scale, which was a uniform one, on the ground that it operated differently in different parts of the country, and the right lion. Gentleman the Member for the University of Cambridge (Mr. Walpole) who succeeded him (Sir G. Grey) at the Home Office, issued a Commission which was directed to consider the question along with other matters. The Report of that Commission, which was presided over by his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and comprised the hon. Baronet, the Member for Somersetshire, and the hon. Members for Kent and Macclesfield, substantially confirmed the scale with reference to the payments by the Treasury; but they admitted that there had been cases where the scale might not be sufficient in certain parts of the country, and they recommended that the magistrates in the counties referred to should have power to increase the allowances, provided that such extra expense were defrayed out of the county rates and not by the Treasury. A Bill was brought in last Session by the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of War (Sir George Lewis) to give effect to that recommendation. But it was brought in 121 rather late, and was not proceeded with. The magistrates of the county represented by the hon. Gentleman (Mr. A, Egerton) had recently addressed a memorial to the Home Office, regretting that the Bill had not been considered by the House, and he (Sir George Grey) intended to reintroduce it on an early day.