§ THE LORD ADVOCATE, in rising to move for leave to introduce a Bill to amend the procedure in the Court of Justiciary in Scotland, said, the object of it was to lessen the expense of conducting criminal prosecutions, and also to diminish the inconvenience of requiring witnesses to attend in certain cases. He might inform the House that a system had existed for some time in Scotland of having what were called two diets, or two days of appearance, on the first of which the accused was asked whether he pleaded guilty or not. If he pleaded guilty he received his punishment, and then there was no necessity for summoning witnesses. If he did not plead guilty, then he had to appear on the second day and witnesses were summoned to attend. That had effected a considerable saving; and he proposed that the same system should be established in the Justiciary Court, so that probably in one-half the cases it would not be necessary to have the witnesses present. They hoped to save in that way about £3,000 1095 a year. Another provision of the Bill was that the jury instead of being cited as at present by an officer called the Messenger at Arms, which involved considerable expense, should be summoned by registered letter through the Post Office—a system which would be equally effective and much more economical. It was also proposed that, instead of three or more Judges sitting in a Criminal Court on a Monday to dispose of cases, one would be sufficient, as was the case on Circuit. If any important matter were to arise, it would be in the power of the Court to call in assistance. In this way the Judges would be made more available for the work it was proposed to give them.
§
Motion agreed to.
Bill to amend the procedure in the Court of Justiciary in Scotland, ordered to be brought in by The LORD ADVOCATE, Mr. Secretary GATHORNE HARDY, and Mr. ATTORNRY GENERAL.
Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 46.]
§ House adjourned at half after Six o'clock.