HC Deb 29 February 1876 vol 227 cc1160-2

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1 (Appointment of deputy clerks of the peace).

MR. RATHBONE

moved, page 1, line 17, after "him," to insert— Provided always, That each deputy clerk to be appointed shall be a solicitor of ten years' standing, and shall have an office within the district for which he is appointed, and the clerk of the peace shall have no interest in the emolument of any deputy clerk. If the patronage was to be taken from the hands of the Chancellor of the Duchy, in whom the public would have confidence, they should have some security that it would be properly exercised. In every instance where there had been decentralization the results had been more gratifying than the most sanguine persons could have imagined, Large centres of population like Manchester and Liverpool were entitled to have some security that the persons appointed should be competent for the discharge of their duties.

Amendment proposed, In page 1, line 17, after the word "him," to insert the words "Provided always, That each deputy clerk to he appointed shall be a solicitor of ten years' standing, and shall have an office within the district for which he is appointed, and the clerk of the peace shall have no interest in the emolument of any deputy clerk."—(Mr. Rathbone.)

Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

said, that the question of the division of the county of Lancaster might arise, and if the proposition were started he should be prepared to consider it; but so long as Lancashire was one county, so long did he think it necessary that there should be one clerk of the peace. He had enjoyed considerable experience in this matter, for he had sat as chairman of quarter sessions in the extreme north and in the extreme south of the county, and he thought the same clerk of the peace should follow the magistrates round. He could conceive nothing more inconvenient than three clerks of the peace, acting on different lines, instead of there being one clerk of the peace whose business it was to go all round the county. He was willing to adopt any safeguards for the appointment of a proper deputy, and was ready to adopt the Amendment to the extent of requiring that he should be a solicitor of seven years' standing. It was better to leave it to the magistrates to say whether he should have his office within the district. Whether his office were in the south-west or south-east of the county, it was necessary, however, that there should be a head office.

MR. RATHBONE

expressed his readiness to accede to the insertion of seven years instead of ten years in his Amendment.

Amendment amended, by leaving out the word "ten," and inserting the word "seven."

MR. HARDCASTLE

moved to omit from the Amendment all the words after the word "standing."

Amendment proposed to proposed Amendment, as amended, to leave out from the word "standing," to the end of the Amendment."—(Mr. Hardcastle.)

Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the proposed Amendment, as amended."

The Committee divided:—Ayes 45; Noes 53: Majority 8.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow.