COMMITTEE.

HC Deb 15 May 1873 vol 215 cc2071-2

Order for Committee read.

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1 (Qualification of common jurors in counties),

MR. MONK

moved an Amendment to reduce the freehold qualification from £15 to £12.

Amendment proposed, in page 1, line 11, to leave out the word "fifteen," and insert the word "twelve,"—(Mr. Monk,)—instead thereof.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

said, this subject had been fully considered in the Select Committee, who recommended the qualification introduced in the Bill.

MR. GATHORNE HARDY

said, the Committee were by no means unanimous in their recommendation, and he did not see any reason why as good jurors should not be had with a qualification of £10 or £12 as with one of £15. He should, therefore, support the Amendment.

Question put, "That the word 'fifteen' stand part of the Clause."

The Committee divided:—Ayes 160; Noes 107: Majority 53.

MR. MUNTZ

moved to reduce the qualification of jurymen from a rating of £40 to one of £30, believing that if it were fixed at the higher sum there would be great difficulty in finding suitable persons.

Amendment proposed, in page 1, line 24, to leave out the word "forty," and insert the word "thirty,"—(Mr. Muntz,)—instead thereof.

MR. JAMES

objected to the Amendment as being opposed to the recommendation of the Committee. The experience of Ireland was against their placing the qualification too low.

MR. STRAIGHT

pointed out that the £40 qualification only related to towns of 20,000 inhabitants and upwards.

MR. DODSON

objected to the long list of exemptions, beginning with Peers, and ending with criminals and persons of notoriously bad character. He supported the Amendment.

MR. J. LOWTHER

said, he hoped that the hon. Member for Birmingham would at least postpone his Amendment.

MR. MUNTZ

was sure, from his experience at Quarter Sessions, that the majority of jurymen were not rated at anything like £40.

MR. WHITWELL

said, he thought the clause would exclude from the jury-box many persons of intelligence in large towns who had retired on a competency.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

defended the clause on the ground that it was based on the recommendations of the Select Committee. The exemptions proposed to be continued by the Bill were far less numerous than those which were now allowed.

MR. SCOURFIELD

said, the recommendations of the Select Committee could not create jurymen where they did not exist.

MR. FLOYER

was of opinion that after the decision of the Committee not to alter the freehold qualification, the present clause ought not to be interfered with.

Question put, "That the word 'forty' stand part of the Clause."

The Committee divided:—Ayes 138; Noes 133: Majority 5.

MR. A. W. YOUNG

proposed, in page 1, line 30, to substitute 20 for 25. The Government, by adhering to these higher figures, were excluding a very large class of men from serving as jurors.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 2 to 4, inclusive, agreed to.

Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Thursday next.

House adjourned at One o'clock.