§ MR. WHARTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he is prepared to state the alternative scheme to be adopted in lieu of the former system of taxation by the Treasury of the costs in criminal prosecutions; and, if not, when he will do so?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, that the Government had considered how best to give effect to the promise which was made by them on the withdrawal of the Motion of the hon. Member for South Devon (Sir Massey Lopes), and had come to the conclusion that that might be done by the introduction of Amendments in the Public Prosecutors Bill, which would be before the House on Wednesday next. The effect of those Amendments would be to relieve counties and boroughs of the statutory obligations to which they were now subject in regard to costs in criminal prosecutions; and they would be laid on the Table in time for their consideration before the Bill was proceeded with, but not before Monday.