§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTasked the Secretary of State for the Home De- 1968 partment, Whether he will state the number of Judges who have been detached from London business on Circuit, and the number of days which these Judges have been actually employed in trying prisoners and hearing causes; and, whether in his opinion under better arrangements a smaller number of Judges would not have been sufficient to transact the business at most of the Circuit towns, so as to have left an additional force for the despatch of the arrears in London?
MR. ASSHETON CROSSWith regard to the first part of the Question, I believe the number of Judges sent on Circuit were the usual number—14—but two were engaged on the Surrey Sessions. As to the second part of the Question—the number of those Judges actually engaged in trying prisoners and hearing causes—there is great difficulty in the middle of the Circuits in obtaining exact information upon that point; but if he wishes a complete Return for all the days of each Circuit, and will move for it, there will be no objection to its production. Cases are allowed to be set down up to the last moment, and the Judges, I believe, take the greatest care to have business despatched as quickly as possible. The hon. and learned Gentleman, I know, considers that one Judge might go Circuit instead of two; but if only half the judicial staff went Circuit it would take longer to get through the business.